Tear Drops
by cristofori's dream
Summary: I never wanted to have this curse. Hearing people's mind wasn't something really enjoyable. In all actuality, it made me grow scared and wary of people. HIATUS
1. Girl meets Boy

i never intended to write this fast.

but i got inspired by one of the memories i had with the one i love who just died.

when he was alive, i would always tell him: if i'm granted of just one power, i want to be able to read people's minds.

and with this, the story started.

-:-

-:-

_If every person has a projector attached on his nose, projecting everything that he thinks about, maybe there wouldn't be a word 'lie' in the Dictionary._

-:-

I have always been an odd ball.

I have always been afraid of people.

But now that I'm older, I think I've gotten pretty used to the world I live in.

In the world I am in, what I hear is different from what they say.

In the world I am in, there's no use in having masks.

Because in the world I'm in, truth is what echoes.

-:-

-:-

-:-

"No. Freakin'. Way.!" A girl's voice shrieked prettily that it caught my attention from watching the clouds out the classroom window. I know that voice. It's Yamada-san's voice, my classmate since middle school. Well, it's not really surprising to find people here who knows each other from elementary up to now since this is an elite private elevated school.

I didn't attend here in elementary since I was kept away from society by my parents. Why? Because –

_This bitch! She's such a show-off!_

_Why's she always on the lead?_

_It's frustrating!_

_What am I going to do with my math homework?_

_I want to eat._

_It's so noisy._

Having one of an abnormal child who can hear people's minds was really a trouble, but really, they never thought of me as a burden. They loved me the same and I'm grateful. When they first found out I had this ability, they shrieked out. They didn't know what to do, whom to call, who to trust. They knew that if they blabbed it out to the wrong people, I'd be a guinea pig – locked up in a research lab. That's why no one knows about this ability I have except for a few people we really trust.

But when I started middle school, I knew that I have to be responsible even just for a bit. And I asked my parents to send me to school. Then they sent me here to the school where my uncle is the principal and left me in his care. Uncle Kazu even reserved the whole top floor of the dormitories to be mine and Hotaru's only – not to mention the bodyguards around.

Those men in black has really made a ruckus. Because of that, I was like, kept away from the world again with this invisible boundaries. Well, being born from a rich and famous family had its benefits and disadvantages. People was wary of me.

But at least, I've come to taste a life out of the Yukihara mansion.

"Uwaa. Luna, you already have that yet to be publicized?" Wakako asked. _I have to ask my uncle to bring me the new prada –_

I shut my eyes tight, not wanting to hear anything.

But it was useless.

I can't control this power.

I don't have any idea how to turn it on and off, how to filter what I hear. Everything within five kilometres of me floods through me.

With a distance of five kilometres, no one can tell me lies.

_Oh no, it's only ten minutes left before the homeroom starts._

_What to do?_

_I hope Narumi's not wearing something ridiculous again._

_He's just so dreamy._

_Mikan, are you okay?_

I snapped my head up, looking at the pair of amethyst eyes, standing right in front of my desk. Then I smiled.

"Hotaru!"

She's my best friend. And she's one of the few people who knows of my condition. Ever since I was young, she'd be with me to hold my hands.

Hotaru is the kind of girl who doesn't like to talk much. But since I know what she's thinking about, we don't have any problem. And besides, she's one of the few people who says what's on their mind. No pretence. No mask. Maybe that's why I like her. And maybe that's why I'm comfortable around her.

"Again. You okay?" She asked again.

"Hehe. Fine."

Her eyebrows arched. "Look here, Mikan. I may not have the same ability as yours but hell I can still read you like a book. Now, if you don't want me to shove a 'candy' in your mouth, better tell me the _truth_ and take it yourself."

I gulped.

"But, but Hotaru, I'm really fine. Nothing's painful." Which is the truth. "I just got a little uncomfortable with the 'noise'."

_Noise, huh._ I heard Hotaru's mind asked.

For the sake of not being found out, we created these signals of words to be used. So, even if we're in public like this, we can talk about it freely.

_Ability? Painful?_

I almost jumped out of my chair when I heard what the boy behind me thought. And my reaction didn't go unnoticed by Hotaru.

She looked behind me, and raised her brows even higher, but still maintaining her poker face. "Kokoroyome, are you eavesdropping on a girls' conversation?" She asked directly and fearlessly.

_Uwa! She's so sharp!_

"O-of course not! Who, who would?" His voice trembled a bit. I even imagined him to straighten up his sit on his chair. Why? Of course because it's Hotaru. Who would dare cross path with the most famous 'Ice Queen'?

I snickered quietly, not wanting to catch anyone's attention. I have to stay away from the spot light as much as possible to avoid my secret leaking out. But I guess I was one of the people who gets attention whether I like it or not.

_She smiled!_

_Yukihara just smiled._

_It's so rare to see her smiling._

_She's with the Ice Queen again._

_Aren't they too much of a combination?_

_How can such two Icy princesses be together?_

I covered my mouth to prevent myself from laughing. I guess Hotaru really has her own reputation. But then, inside the very same class room, I heard something not so funny.

_She's such a faker._

_Why are they paying attention to her when I'm here?_

_I can't believe that creepy Yukihara's being the center of attention._

_She's not even pretty._

_How cocky, just because their family's one of those standing at the top of the world._

_Che. She even got the whole floor of the dormitory for her._

_What's with the bodyguards anyway? Why does she have it? Not like someone's going to steal her._

_Why's she acting so high and mighty?_

_She's so creepy. That's why no one's approaching her._

I closed my eyes and clasped my hands on top of my legs, controlling the raging of different emotions threatening to run wild.

It's not like I never wanted any friends. Of course I'd like to have some. But I want real friends, not someone who just approaches me because of power and political influence. That's why I rejected all those people who approached me just for mere petty things. They offered me many pretty words, some even gave me worldly possessions. But it's not like they could ever deceive me. Even if they don't say anything, I can hear their thoughts perfectly and clearly from five kilometres away.

Hotaru must have noticed the sudden change in me.

"What are you guys looking at? Nothing's here to be amazed about." I heard her say in a very cold voice. _Hmp. Idiots._

_Che. Bitch._

_Waah, so cool!_

_Scary._

_Why's she with that creepy Yukihara?_

I bit my lower lip.

In my four years here in the academy, they have always looked at us as if we have some kind of a disease. They feared Hotaru who is a business minded freak and acts towards everyone with unparalleled coldness. They avoided me because they thought I lived in a very different world than them, thus earning me with no friends. At all.

Maybe it's because of me avoiding humans in all generality that they have come to the conclusion that I'm creepy.

I didn't let people enter my world easily, and I was always wary of them.

I talk to people with no ill thoughts. I avoided people who says and think differently.

Once I thought that I didn't want this power since it stripped me off of my youth. But then, it helped me a lot to unmask the fake reality.

_-ome in when I call your names. Please stand here for a second._

I looked at Hotaru and then whispered, "Transfers."

She blinked. "Now?"

I nodded. And as if on cue, Narumi-sensei slammed the door open. Then, with a very huge smile on his face, he announced, "Good morning my very dear students!"

_Wow. They're so adorable each and every day._

I smiled.

I like Narumi-sensei. What he says is always what he thinks.

I like him, even if he wears frilly clothes every day – which always earned him a glare from the students.

_Oh? Why are they looking at me like that? Do they love my outfit that much? TeeHee._

I snickered. "Sensei's so cute."

Hotaru looked down at me. "Really. You're bad in the head."

"Whaaat. He's just so clueless."

"Well, ignorance's a bliss." She said as she walked back to her desk. _I wonder who to blackmail this day? Oh. Right. Hope the transfers bring me good sales._

What the? Hotaru, really. She's still thinking of who to blackmail in this state.

"Okay! May I have your attention please?" Narumi announced in his teacher-like mode to catch everyone's attention. "We have transfer students today."

"Students? Plural?"

"Are they girls?"

"No! They must be boys!"

"They have to be cute."

"Why now?"

Questions flooded Narumi. "Well, they came from Alice Academy branch in Britain. They only transferred now because of some reasons. Hm, why don't you just ask them yourself?" He looked at the doors. "Please come in!" He shouted loud enough for the boys outside to hear him.

_About time, jee. _One voice outside said, not with the ill intention, but just pure expression.

I held my breath as I looked at the door, waiting for someone to appear. Then, a few seconds later, a tall man with a blonde hair, so blonde it could have been white, and a striking blue eyes entered the room. He was the typical image of a prince charming. So gentle, so kind.

Behind him, another guy followed. His total opposite.

It was a grumpy looking guy with a mess of raven black hair. His hair was sticking here and there, but magically enough, he still looked gorgeous. But what captivated me the most was his eyes. A very rare pair of bloody crimson eyes.

I didn't know how long I held my breath as I looked at him.

Everyone started to squeal and shout cheers, but I couldn't hear anything. It was… unexplainable.

I looked around.

"So cool!"

"Oh my God! It's them in flesh!"

"I can't believe they're here!"

I waited.

And waited.

And I couldn't hear anything else.

Nothing.

I didn't know what they were thinking.

I gasped some air, my eyes teary. Could it be possible?

My mind was quiet.

Nothing, there was nothing! Am I free?

_...them._

…_ool._

_Wow._

_Red eyes._

_I'm going to be rich._

_It's really them!_

Slowly, but surely, I heard it again.

They flooded me slowly and calmly, like a river.

My silence was gone. Everything was loud again.

But then, at least, even for a second there, I experienced the freedom of not hearing anything. I experienced to be someone normal, even just for a second.

I clutched my chest tight, trying to relieve myself of the pain.

Maybe there's a slight chance of me to be normal.

It happened, didn't it? There was a one moment that everything was turned off. Maybe, maybe I could be freed from this curse? Maybe, if I struggle hard enough, I could be like any other people?

Hope filled me.

Hope which I got from somewhere I didn't know.

_Natsume? Where are you looking at?_ I heard one of the transfer boys.

I looked up, trying to figure out what was going on. And the first thing I saw was that pair of bloody eyes.

It pierced me, those eyes did. He was looking at me like he was shocked to see me.

_Oh? She's looking at that girl. Do they know each other? _The princely boy beside thought again.

And that Natsume guy was still looking directly at me. Shocked.

Moments passed.

Then I realized.

"What?" I gasped silently.

I can't hear any thoughts from him!

…

There really is nothing!

I can't hear him.

And then, I realized again, maybe I could be normal with him?

Hope filled me again.

Now I know that it came from him.

Then, without a warning, a tear dropped from my eyes.

-:-

-:-

_If every person has a projector attached on his nose, projecting everything that he thinks about, maybe there wouldn't be a word 'lie' in the Dictionary. Things would be a lot easier. I won't have to burn my self with thinking about things. I won't be decieved._

_-i'd say._

_But then, a life without a bit of worrying, getting jelous, confrontations and confessions, wouldn't that be a bit boring?_

_-he'd answer._

_-:-_

_-:-_

this is from the memories i had with him.

thanks to this memory, i got to write again.

thanks to him.


	2. What's with the Touching?

For **KidTantei, **the things i write at the beginning and end of the chapter are from my memories with the one i loved, and still love. :)

-:-

_One day, you'll find someone you really can't deal with. Then you'll realize, that person is who you're really looking for._

-:-

-:-

-:-

"I can't believe this!" Luna Koizumi grimaced as she and her gang pushed me against the wall of the female bathroom. "Why you?"

_Why did he choose you?_

I looked down. I don't know either, okay? Was what I wanted to scream. But, rendered I didn't have any chances of winning against these fan girls, I guess it was better to just keep quiet.

I really didn't know what that guy was thinking. He was the very first person I found rather disturbing, and, well… interesting, in some way or the other.

If I couldn't hear anything, it must be because he wasn't thinking at all. But that would be impossible! Everyone has their own thoughts, whether simple thoughts or not. Which left me with the only possibility that I really couldn't read his mind at all. Which is why I am here now, still wondering why the hell did he choose me to be his partner and made Kokoroyome, the guy sitting behind me move to another seat.

I remembered Kokoroyome's face when that Natsume guy walked towards him and said with a very commanding and icy voice, "Move." Poor Koko couldn't even react a 'no, this is my seat, thank you'. He just stood up, grabbed his things, and ran away to find another seat.

Then, without any remorse, Natsume pulled my hair from behind, which caught my attention, and heck, everyone's attention. "Who're you?"

I groaned. What? Did he think he was some kind of a god?

Patience. Patience. "I think it's common sense to introduce yourself first before asking for someone else's name." I sharply replied as I pulled my hair back from his clutch. "And it's not nice to casually touch a girl's hair."

Silence.

Whether he'd introduce his self or not, it didn't really matter. It didn't bother me as some other girls would.

"…Natsume. Natsume Hyuuga."

Ah. So he's a Hyuuga. No, I mean, _the_ Natsume Hyuuga.

"…so?" He asked with impatience.

_Interesting. _I heard Hotaru's thoughts and I rolled my eyes directly at her.

"Mikan."

He leaned close. "Mikan? Mikan what?"

Why's he so curious anyway? "Just – just Mikan."

What's this guy thinking?

"Ehem." A fake cough made me look at the front, at Narumi. "Well, since Natsume already found his seat, why don't I find you your partner?"

"Partner?" I could almost hear a spark in Natsume's eyes.

Narumi smiled.

_Interesting, _the teacher thought. And it sent down shivers down my spine. Narumi is just as scary as when he's innocent and oblivious!

"I just got a good idea. Why don't you pick your own partner, eh? Natsume. I reckon you'd prefer it that way." Narumi giggled.

"Oooh! Pick me! Pick me!" Luna's voice stood out of the crowd.

I looked at her, wondering how she could manage to think that way. What way? This way: _I'm so gonna be famous with him as my boyfriend. I wonder how good he is in bed?_

I turned my head away in disgust. "Eugh." I silently puked.

"Just so you know, my dad's the owner of one of the car industries, and my mom's a very well-known fashion designer. With me, you won't be embarrassed." She declared.

"Uwahh…" I almost admired her straight-forwardness.

Natsume tugged my hair again. "Oi, frilly little sensei, I choose this girl."

_What?_

_He refused Luna!_

_He went for Yukihara!_

_I can't believe this!_

_How dare he refuse me…!_

Narumi smiled. _So cute!_

"What cute?" I asked myself quietly. "This is so not cute, sensei!"

And thus, I earned this position of my back against the wall with a bunch of girls ganging up on me.

Luna bit her nails, trying to calm herself down. _Why this creepy little girl? I'm more attractive than she is. So, why?_

"Do you know each other?" Luna asked me.

"Not possible." Of course it's not possible. I was kept away from people, remember?

"Then why? Why the hell did he choose you?"

"Yeah. If it's just beauty to be the basis, Luna would be a hundred times prettier than everybody else." Wakako said in second motion. _As if._

"I – I don't know, okay? Not like… I know what's going on in his mind." My voice was dying down.

"Shut it!" Luna barked at my face.

Eugh. She even spat a bit of her saliva on my face. Disgusting.

And what, shut it? She asked me, didn't she?

What the hell.

"Oi."

All of us girls gasped as we heard a boy's voice. They were shocked to see Natsume, I was shocked that he had the guts to step_ inside _the girls' bathroom.

"Natsume!" Luna faked a smile as she batted her long, sparkling eyelashes.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He walked towards me, ignoring the eyes of the other girls around.

"What do _you_ think you're doing? This is the girl's bathroom." I eyed him suspiciously.

"I know. Got tired of waiting for you outside."

"You were waiting?" I asked exasperatingly.

"Course I was. Haven't made use of you yet." He scratched the back of his head in a very boyish manner.

"Made… made use of me?"

"You'll see." And he grabbed my hand as he attempted to walk away.

"Wait! Natsume –" Luna tried to stop him by pulling his arm back.

That was when I saw how Natsume changed from the very grumpy teenager to a very frightening creature. "Don't touch!" he dangerously hissed.

The atmosphere instantly went pitch black as Natsume emitted a 'don't you dare come near me' aura.

What's with the touching?

But Luna backed down, to my surprise. The girl whom every other girls envied, and boys admired, backed down in fright of Natsume Hyuuga, the boy who just transferred. Maybe it's because of his eyes. Or just plainly because of his very suffocating and intimidating aura of superiority.

Natsume Hyuuga really just has it. He makes people feel awkward. He makes people feel like he's some kind of a superior being. Maybe that was why Koko never retaliated when Natsume grabbed his seat in the first place.

I don't know if he's aware of it, if he's purposely making people around him scared. But maybe, he's just like me? Scared of people.

…

Nah.

Why would he be?

-:-

Since he went on his way to grab me _out _of the girl's bathroom, I expected something, I don't know, maybe grand?

But here I am, sitting prettily on the grass like some old fairy tale, my back leaning against a giant Sakura tree, a great wide lake lying in front of me, as I watched the scenery unfold.

"Okay? So, what's this. Some kind of a movie?" I asked him, partly irritated since I couldn't hear what's he thinking at all.

Natsume, who was lazily lying down beside me, arched his eyebrow. "I'd like you to keep quiet."

"Sorry, but I believe I have the right to know what's going on in your puny little mind."

How dare he? He grabbed me and dragged me here against my will, and he won't tell me what's going on?

"Look. You, sitting beside me, help me a lot. Okay?" He answered despite of how irritated he was becoming.

"How so?"

"Just – it just do." He rolled to his side, looking away from me.

I let my eyes stray far, watching every bits of motions of nature, and then I sighed. "Well. Not like you're not helping either…" I said as quietly as possible.

Being with Natsume, I realized one thing: he keeps my ability in control.

The moment that he entered the classroom, maybe, just maybe, there was some kind of a reaction, or something – which made me go in control for once. It might be really impossible, but I'd like to think of Natsume as a controlling device. If not, then how could I ever explain the sudden silence when he's around?

I took a deep breath, savouring the 'normality' that I'm experiencing.

I wish everyday would just go like this. Not particularly Natsume beside me, but the freedom from the curse I have.

Silence.

I'm so gonna miss this.

Rustles from across the lake caught my attention. "Huh?"

There was a girl, who was wearing the same uniform as me, and a boy, wearing the same uniform as Natsume.

I narrowed my eyes, wanting to see clearly what they were doing alone in a forest like this. There has always been this strange rumours that couples always go inside the forest to have some fun. Turned out to be true. Well, not like I could think of any bad and naughty things since I'm alone with Natsume in the forest as well, and nothing's happening. Besides, we're not a couple in the first place.

_Come on, no one's going to see us._ I heard that boy's mind.

_Oh no. Looks like we're going to do it… Should I give in?_

_I wanna get laid, and she's the only girl available._

_I'm scared, but…_

I closed my eyes, wanting to shut it off. And it worked, much to my surprise.

"It worked?" I wondered out loud. Looks like I wasn't wrong when I thought of Natsume as a controlling device. And his presence really helped me a lot.

I stared across the lake as the boy pushed the girl down.

"What the. She's being cozened. He just wanna get laid." I told myself.

I felt Natsume moved beside me, so I turned around to see him staring at me directly. "What're you looking at?" I asked him.

"You." He answered briefly.

I rolled my eyes, couldn't believe his nonchalant answer. "Course it's me."

"What are you looking at?" He asked me in return.

I stared at him for a moment or two, wondering if I should really tell him. But, why not? "…them." I pointed out the couple.

Natsume followed his eyes to where I was pointing at, and he showed no shocked reaction. "So, what do you think?"

"What do I think of what?" I spat.

"Them. Are they all lovey-dovey?"

"The girl's in love but she's being deceived. She loves him so she thought it's alright even if she's scared. But the boy, he just wanna do it. Not necessarily with her, but just because she's the only girl available."

We were silent for a while as we watched the two couples do each other. Couldn't they feel our stares? Honestly, can't they just get a room or something? They're doing it in public, well, they thought no one's around, but still -

"How did you know?" Natsume's question baffled me.

Oh my! Damn. How can I explain? Think, Mikan, think!

Oohh, why did I ever blab my mouth off without even thinking?

I bit my nails, trying to think of something. "Uh, well, I, I know them. Yeah, that's it."

Natsume stared at me, and I swear I could almost feel myself melting from his eyes. Could it be possible that he saw right through me? But, but I wasn't a great liar in the first place! What am I going to do if my secret leaks out? I'd have to go into hiding if it happens!

No. Wait. Who'd ever believe I have this ability? Hah! That's right, I can just always –

"Liar." He leaned closer to me, closer, and closer, until his lips almost reached my ears.

I felt my heart skipped a beat. No, it's probably nothing! I was just so conscious with his closeness. Yeah, that's right.

"You know, I hate liars." He whispered, making me feel ticklish in the ears, sending a thousand volts run across my skin.

Oh my God, I could feel my body feeling hot. It was strange, it was so new to me. His voice itself could make me feel, so, so incredibly, and unbelievably, well… good? Strange?

I DON'T KNOW! OH GOSH…

In the moment of my panic, I pushed him away from me as hard as I could and stood up.

"I'm, I'm not!"

Damn, I stuttered.

Feeling the embarrassment as I made a fool out of myself, I ran off.

-:-

I slowly walked out of the classroom as I just finished tidying the room. I was one of the cleaners for the day, but I was the only one who ended up cleaning the room. They all left me as they had appointments, or so they said – which is a whole universe different to what they were thinking.

Not that I mind though, being alone in an empty classroom was nice. However, it certainly has some cruel effects since I could hear Hotaru's mind swearing at me from five kilometres away.

_Mikan Sakura Yukihara, if you're not here in another ten minutes, I'm going to bombard your room with tear gas!_

_Mikan Sakura Yukihara, if you're not here in another ten minutes, I'm going to tear you precious teddy bear into pieces._

And the threats went on.

Really, that Hotaru. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" I quietly screamed as I started to run outside.

I was about to jump in and give Hotaru a bear hug when I suddenly stopped my tracks to hide.

_What to say? Hi? I'm Ruka. I'm, I'm Ruka Nogi. Argh! So embarrassing!_

_What's this guy doing?_ I heard Hotaru's thoughts. _It's the transfer student. Why's he coming to me? Whatever. I'm gonna be so rich._

"What 'so rich'? You're already rich as you are." I whispered, and then I stiffened when I realized what was going on. "Uwaah. That Ruka Nogi guy's approaching my best friend?"

As quietly as I could, I peeked behind the walls to see what was going on with Hotaru's side. Then I saw him, the princely guy who just transferred today.

"They said that he and Natsume are ones of the current top bachelors of the world. Would Hotaru like that?" I asked to no one in particular as I watched how Ruka Nogi struggle din desperation to talk to the 'Ice Queen'.

I sighed. I couldn't bear to look at him as he gives his best while Hotaru's mind was on to another thing. "Poor soul. If only he knows that Hotaru only thinks of sales."

"What, you can read minds?"

I almost choke on nothingness when I heard a voice behind me erupted. Alas, it was as I suspected, it was Natsume, standing so _dangerously close_ behind me. So dangerously close that I could almost feel his breath on my face. So close that an inch more would enable me to hear his heart beat.

"What, what do you mean? Read, read minds – what?" I stuttered as I looked away from his gaze and stepped back, away from him.

And then, with a nonchalant look on his face, he asked me again like it was the most natural thing to ask.

"You can read minds?"

I'm dead.

-:-

-:-

_One day, you'll find someone you really can't deal with. Then you'll realize, that person is who you're really looking for._

-_i believe._

_So, that's why you can't stand me? because i'm the one you've been searching for?_

_-he'd say with a very confident grin._

-:-

haha. writing makes me miss him more.


	3. The Truth

_When you've got no one to rely on but yourself and you still want to live, you'll learn how to carry on and move forward even if you just wanted to collapse and get it over with. Because you know…_

_You know no one's going to come._

_-:-_

_-:-_

I took a deep breath as I tried to focus all of my attention to Jinno-sensei as he teaches.

'_Okay, so, if the given variable of x is three, then with the equation of...' _I furrowed my brows, trying hard to think of the solution of the given problem.

'_With the equation of… 45x(28y__2__+3 ½ z)=130z, then, y would be… okay, so… I have to…'_

Ugh!

I closed my eyes and tightened my grip on my pen.

Focus.

'_Okay, first, I have to find out the value of y by replacing…'_

I leaned forward.

Focus.

Focu –

"Can't you stop staring at me?" I hissed angrily to the person sitting behind me, having all of my temper burned up already.

"…"

"Ugh! You're so frustrating!" I cursed silently, but made it purposely loud enough for him to hear.

Who wouldn't be so damn infuriated when this boy has been burning holes at my back for an hour, no, for almost two hours now?

Yesterday was quite a narrow escape when he suddenly showed up behind me and went asking if I could read minds and all. Good thing I managed to crack a 'what-the-hell?' response or I could have slipped out my own secret! But today, since he arrived this morning, he wouldn't even keep his eyes off me! As if he's waiting for something to happen, something that would spark his interest and make him kiss the boring day goodbye.

And it's killing me!

It would have been better if he were the only one who was staring, but heck, Natsume Hyuuga means tons of fan girls, people! It would have been a whole lot easier if those fan girls were just staring, but no, they were glaring at me and cursing inside their heads, wishing for me to die like there was no tomorrow. And fan girls mean complicating things in ten folds of exaggerations!

Stupid love struck girls are crazy and scary, they can do anything. From simple tacks in your inside shoes, up to pushing you down the stairs.

And now, I just stepped on to a battlefield with my stupid face as the stupid locked-on target.

All because of that person's fault.

I sighed.

Well, what the hell can I do? It has been this way ever since, and frankly speaking, I am horribly becoming accustomed to this kind of life.

I leaned on my hand lazily as I thought of things I should do later. First off, I should probably sneak out as eerily quiet as possible if I still want to live my life – and heck, I do – since, for sure, the bullying starts after the bell rings.

"Hah." I snickered.

Just like a boxing match. The bell announces the start of a battle.

Normally, it would have been quiet even if all the other girls wanted to scratch me down to death. But this day isn't a normal day, not for me at least, since my best friend and great defender is absent for the day. She told me she's busy with her project for the research institute she works in, that she has to submit the blueprint thru mail then meet someone who would be the messenger in charge of the software… or something like that.

Isn't my best friend great? She works as a researcher at the age of seventeen. Maybe, just maybe, I being in this kind of… _situation_, made her be so interested in supernatural things. I caught a glimpse of me in her mind one day. Actually, it really was embarrassing when I found out since it concerned me and all. But the truth that she hid inside her heart was heart warming.

_I'd one day unveil the truth behind these things. One day, I'll end this all._ Was what she thought.

I unconsciously smiled.

Really, today is really just not like any other day. Without Hotaru in my day is just really… different.

But whatever might happen today, I'd make sure it wouldn't reach Hotaru's ears.

I love Hotaru. And I'm thankful.

And because I love her, I have to make sure not to drag her in this silly little child bickering.

My thoughts were interrupted when the bell blew off, signalling for the war to begin.

In every second, my heart beats in an accelerating beat, as if trying to match a break dance.

Since Hyuuga is around, and knowing he serves as some kind of a controlling device, I have to focus my concentration and try to open my mind to hear what they're thinking.

_It's time to show her._

_Good thing the Ice Queen isn't not here._

_I am so gonna drag her to hell._

I gulped.

I gripped my skirt.

Looks like I won't be able to run out of here since if I run, they would surely wonder how the hell did I know what was coming. And since Hyuuga is watching all of my moves since earlier, I shouldn't make a suspicious move, anything pertaining to my ability.

Now, I have to think of something to fight them with.

I can use the guards, but I know the girls would make me send them away.

"Tch." I unconsciously groaned.

"Yukihara-san~"

I flinched. I just heard someone called me with a very disgustingly sweet voice.

I didn't want to look up, there wasn't a need to since I knew who the owner of that voice is.

"Can you come with us for a bit?" Wakako asked me with a slight tap on my shoulder.

_You, girl, are so dead._

I'm scared.

It's happening again, people approaching me in a sweet mask while thinking of a whole other thing.

It's disgusting.

Okay, I may not be a sweet girl, but hell, I'm one heck of a true person. I cry when I'm sad, I get scared when I have to. I laugh when I'm happy, and I think what I want to. And people in disguise, I think it's disgusting and embarrassing. Especially in front of me, me who can hear what's in people's minds.

So embarrassing.

"What do you want with me?" I asked them direct to the point.

"We'll tell you outside, so, come on!" Yamada, the other girl, said.

"You can tell me now."

"You see, sweetie," Luna finally spoke, "it's kind of a thing that needs to be discussed in private."

"No one's listening." She arched her brows when I said that. "You're Luna, they won't dare eavesdrop on you."

She flinched.

_Bitch. Now you're talking back, huh?_ Luna thought.

Sorry, but I have to talk back. There's no one I can rely on but myself.

Luna leaned closer to me and whispered annoyingly, "Can't you just come with us?"

I clenched my jaw, thinking of the most suitable words. "I've got no business with you."

"But we have."

"So, tell me."

I felt Luna's temper hit the peak, and there's just one thing that it meant: danger.

She narrowed her eyes on me as she hissed, making me the only one to hear. "Listen here, creep. If you don't want me to mess with your friend Kokoroyome, you better move your ass now."

I flinched.

Then I secretly glanced to where Kokoroyome is.

Kokoroyome, well, he's not really exactly a very close friend. He's not someone I told my secret to. But at least, in this god forsaken academy, he was one of the people who finds me easy to talk to. And he's one of the innocent people I have met.

Having Luna Koizumi mess with his life just because of me is greatly unthinkable.

I shut my eyes tight, preparing myself for the hell to come my way.

-:-

"How dare you!" Luna's slap echoed through the entire empty gymnasium.

I tried to clench my teeth to avoid biting my tongue, but I was a second too late.

I tasted metal.

I licked the inside walls of my mouth to rid of the taste of blood while Luna and her gang continued to talk, not knowing I was letting their words come in to my right ear, and let it out on the left.

"I really can't stand her!" Wakako swished her hand in front of her, as if disgusted from my existence.

Yamada, the other girl, rolled her eyes in agreement. "Duh! Who would like a pretentious girl who dares to snatch away someone else's prey?"

Prey? Are they talking about Hyuuga? Hah, so he's a 'prey'. They were talking like he's some kind of a meal.

"Well," Wakako answered in a purposely sexy voice, "If I'm on her shoes," She looked at me from head to toe and back to my face, "I'd be boring to death that I'd take a risk once in a while to taste exhilaration run in my veins."

Laughter rung in my ears as Yamada indulged her self in a pleasure only the two of them know of. "You are so naughty!"

"Why?" She raised her brows, daring Yamada into something. "Is that not true with you?"

The questioned girl pointed her forefinger in her cheeks, as if thinking of what to answer. "Well," She playfully said, "Every girl has her needs."

And laughter echoed again.

They continued to laugh in a conversation only the two of them understand until Luna hissed, "Shut it!"

Involuntarily, my body stiffened and my attention focused on her. Well, Luna is breath-takingly beautiful. She has a superior aura, a very uncommon thing for girls. And the way she walks, it's as if the atmosphere is being sucked in. She just makes everyone, no, almost everyone, turn her way.

She looked down on me, seeing that she's half a head taller than me. Heck, she has the height anyone would kill for just to become a model. And if only I wasn't such an introverted person, I might have been envious of her. Only, I grew up alone, away from the world. So, really, even if I'm drawn to her beauty, it just doesn't shake my self-worth.

"Let me say this frankly and make things clear once and for all, Yukihara." She said as she leaned closer to me. "I don't want you around _my_ Natsume. I don't even want you breathe the same air he breathes."

_He's mine. And only mine._

I remained quiet.

"I don't like the idea of sharing my properties, Yukihara. As you know, I grew up having all the things I want in a flick of a finger. And I grew up without sharing them to anyone."

Yeah, yeah, whatever. He's all yours.

I wanted to tell them that, but I had to stop myself for the sake of Koko's quiet life.

"Girls." Luna snapped her fingers, and like all of that scripted drama, Yamada and Wakako grinned and passed her a lighter and a pair of scissors. "Now, let's make sure you won't ever forget what I told you."

_This is so gonna be fun!_ I heard the two underlings thought.

Luna grabbed my hair, which I always held up in a pair of pig tails. "Let me do you a make over." She said with a nerve-wracking smile.

I closed my eyes, secretly thinking of something else: This is your fault, Natsume Hyuuga.

I thought when he came, my life would be _literally_ quiet. But hell, he brought me calamity just the way he brought me silence.

Fight—

Was what I wanted to do. But they've got hostage. So, the quickest way to end this is to just let them be. They can cut away my hair all they like. I can always re-grow them.

The leader pulled my hair, letting them down. Then, I heard them groaned.

"Ugh!" Wakako motioned. "I so hate her!"

_What's with that hair?_

What's wrong with my hair?

"Bitch." Luna whispered. She looked at me with a very strong malice, all beauty gone. Where did all of those glittering glitters go to? "Looks like I'm gonna pluck out the seed before it grows. Yamada, call the boys." She said, deciding the lighter and the scissors would be of no use to her anymore.

Yamada gave her a questioning look. "What?"

Luna rolled her eyes. "I said," she repeated with emphasis, "call the boys!"

The girl shook. "But, but we don't have to go that far."

"CALL THEM!"

Yamada almost jumped off her feet as her quivering hands snatched a phone in her skirt pocket and dialled a number. _Why? Why does she have to go that far? For sure, Yukihara doesn't have any experience with boys. Does she intend to give her a traumatic scar?_

Chills ran down my spine as I understood what her thoughts meant.

Luna wanted to take away my chastity and leave me broken.

I felt my knees trembled by the thought, and hopelessness engulfed me. What do I do now? How should I escape? If I do, what would happen to Koko?

Damn.

I shouldn't have let the bodyguards leave. I should have just given Luna a lesson through business. Not to crush their company, but just shake them a little to prevent her from pressuring Koko.

But what to do now? Why did I think of it _now_ when I'm already in this state?

The doors of the gymnasium slid open, and three boys went in, all have smirk on their faces. The guy in the middle looked at Luna, but no words were exchanged. He went straight to me.

_This is the girl? Man, I've got luck this time. I'm gonna make her beg for more._

My ears felt hot as my nape felt little pricks. "What do you want?"

The boy smirked. "You."

I took a step backwards, but Luna pushed me towards the boys. And in an instant, I felt two pair of hands hold on to my arms. "Wha – !"

I looked at both my sides and saw the other two boys as they made sure I won't do anything unnecessary.

When shadows loomed over me, I panicked. The leader walked to me, and in an instant, I felt his hands roam freely around my body. "Nooo!"

"No! Get away from me! Noo! Let me go! Let me go!" I stomped and kicked, doing everything I can just to be free, and in luck, I accidentally kicked his knee.

"Argh! Dammit! Hold her down!"

"Noo! Help! Heeelp!" I struggled, and I struggled hard especially when I felt the floor against my back. "Nooo!" I screamed my heart out, feeling hot tears stream from my eyes.

I heard a ripping sound, and it made me focus. The bastard just tore off my shirt! "Nooooo! You bastard! Get off me! Aaaaahh!"

"Don't worry honey, you're going to cry in pleasure soon." He said disgustingly.

With me being pissed off, I spat on his face and he groaned. "Shut up, you freak! You're disgusting! So disgusting I can almost feel my insides churn!"

He laughed. "Oh, I'm so gonna like it when I break you."

"Hey, stop the bullshit and make it fast!" The other guy said. "I'm getting impatient with my turn."

_Fine. Fine._

I shook my head. "No… No… No, please…" I heard myself beg.

But it was no use with these cold hearted bastards. I looked at the three girls, hoping for someone to take pity on me. "Help me…"

Yamada flinched, but made no move. And the other two girls? They just couldn't give a damn.

I closed my eyes, ready to give up. But when I felt that bastard's hands felt my inside thighs, I let out another ear-splitting scream without another thought. "Noooooooooooooo!"

I kicked. I bit. I struggled. I shook my head and body. I did everything I can to stop him from doing anything further. "HOTARUUU!"

I knew she wasn't going to come since she wasn't around, but I just couldn't help myself from calling her name. She was the only one to protect me. She was the only one I could lean on.

"HEEEELLP! SOMEONE! ANYONE!"

I continued to scream with all my might. Eyes closed.

I screamed so loud like I never did before, like there was no tomorrow.

And then, I heard someone grunted with pain as I suddenly felt the guy's weight on top of me. The girls shrieked over something, but it just made me panic more. I didn't dare to open my eyes, deciding I don't want to see any of _these_ in the future when I remember how they broke me to pieces.

"No, let me explain!" Luna stuttered, but instead of an answer, I heard a slap.

I never bothered to open my eyes to see who she's talking to, I just continued to scream. Scream for my life – that's all I could do.

With the knowledge of no one to save me, tears continued to run down.

My shaking wasn't even faltering.

I was scared.

So scared I could break down and die.

And when I felt someone touched my face, I screamed even more that I could feel my throat drying as I desperately covered myself, my voice coarse from so much screaming.

"NO! STOP IT! YOU BASTARD! YOU DIRTY PIECE OF SHIT! DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME! NOOOO!"

"-an! MIKAN!"

I gasped as I opened my eyes wide.

"Are you okay? Good thing they didn't go any further!"

I was stunned.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

Tears streamed out again. This time not because of fear and hopelessness.

"Those bastards! I'm gonna get them."

How could I be stupid? Because of my panicking, I didn't even notice the time that I started to _not_ hear what those bastards were thinking. I was so busy from screaming and struggling that I didn't notice my environment _fell silent_.

I let a lump of air out of me. I didn't even know I was holding up my breath for who knows how long.

I didn't even notice that my hands weren't tied with those mongrels' dirty grasps anymore, or that I'm already sitting, desperately covering, protecting myself.

So many things I failed to notice because of panic.

I looked around and saw three guys lying dead, Luna's ass on the floor, her hand caressing a what seemed to be swollen cheek, and her two attendants attending to her.

And then I heard sobs.

_My_ sobs.

"What's wrong?"

"Natsume…" I managed to call out my saviour's name in between my sobs. "How, how did you know I was here…?"

He looked down.

"I can see the past with one touch."

I blinked.

"Oh…"

And then, everything went black.

-:-

-:-

_When you've got no one to rely on but yourself and you still want to live, you'll learn how to carry on and move forward even if you just wanted to collapse and get it over with. Because you know…_

_You know no one's going to come._

_But when _he_ happened, he showed me in one way or another, that I am still a girl with a fragile heart, looking for someone to hold on to… and in one way or the other, he'd make me feel that I'm special. And that I'm loved. He'd make me feel that way everyday – everyday until I gave in…_

_And even long after I gave in._


	4. Different Eyes

_Why me? Why me, when there are so many girls out there who practically die everyday just to see you? I didn't even know you existed, far from those girls who know your family background, what you did last summer, what type of blood you have. So, why the heck did you walk to me when I desperately needed a time alone?_

-:-

-:-

I groaned and squirmed and felt cold against my back with the palm of my hands. My breath automatically gulped in the comforting and familiar scent.

I opened my eyes not too cooperating since it seemed my body still wanted to sleep. Then, just as my eyes finally adjusted to the light, the very first thing that greeted me is a pair of bloody eyes.

I blinked.

They're beautiful. Those eyes make me feel… vulnerable, and it wasn't a very pleasant feeling. It's as if they could see through me, the me that I desperately hid from the rest of the world. I've seen these eyes somewhere before. Somewhere…

I stared at it.

Where have I seen it?

And then a voice erupted, putting my head in place in an instant, "What?"

I bolted up and sat up straight. That was when I realized that the owner of those crimson eyes is none other than Natsume Hyuuga.

"What the-? Where am I?"

Natsume rolled his eyes "You're in your room, stupid."

I looked around. White walls, pink bed covers, stuffed toys here and there, a scent of mild strawberry milk in the air. Yep. This is my room. "What happened?"

He furrowed his brows as he rested his back against his seat – a chair that was placed beside my bed, when it's not supposed to be there originally. Was he sitting there all along, watching me sleep? Thinking of it made my face burn, and I have no idea why. "You don't remember?"

I looked down, shaking the thought of a 'nice Natsume' off my head as I forced myself to think another thought – something important: what just happened? Then I remembered.

"Oh. Yeah. I was almost…" I dreaded to say the word. I brought my eyes back to Natsume. "Th-thanks… I, I don't know what could have happened if you weren't, if you didn't…" Words seemed to have left my mind. "Anyway… thanks. You saved me."

The room fell silent.

"You." Natsume started as he leaned forward as if trying to see a good look at my soul. "You don't remember anything other than that?"

I got confused. "Sorry, what? Should I, should I have remembered… anything else? What – what else was there?"

Natsume's eyes sharpened, as if pissed to what I just said. "You're so stupid," He violently stood up, "you Polka-dots."

"Huh? What? What did I do?"

"Nothing!" He turned and started to storm away and whispered, but I heard it nontheless. "I can't believe I just told you a secret."

Secret?

"What secret?"

And what's with Polka-dots?

-:-

Everything was dark.

Heavy breaths, sweats all over me, fast beating heart, my feet were running. _I _was running. Running away from someone… or _something._ I have no idea _what_ that is. I just know that I have to run. Or _it_ might get to me.

What is _it?_ Why am I running?

I felt pain on my feet as rocks pierced me, but on the other hand, it seemed like I didn't _feel_ anything. I just knew that I was in pain.

Branches of bushes hit my face as I run. And I knew it was painful, but I continued to run away nevertheless – trying to push the sharp branches away from my way. And I knew I was inside a forest.

I looked back.

It's coming near, I know.

But what is that '_it'?_

I panted.

Air seems to be running away too. And I'm being left behind.

I ran faster, knowing that I was nearing a lake – and there it was. A breathe-takingly beautiful lake.

_Why do I know that there's a lake? I know this lake. I've been here before._

And then any time now, there would be a faceless guy calling my name.

"Mikan!"

_Why do I know what's going to happen next?_

I looked at where the voice came from, and there's a guy standing. I ran to where he is, I didn't know why, but somewhere inside me, I knew that being with him was right.

I looked up at him, but the supposedly faceless guy wasn't there, instead, there was - "Natsume! They're here!"

Did I just call the guy 'Natsume'? And I just mentioned a _they_.

"Come on! We gotta move!" He grabbed my hand and we started to run away together.

_Where to? Why am I with him? Why are we running? Who are we getting away from?_

Then out of nowhere, something jumped out on us and bared its teeth out.

Something huge.

Something furry.

Something black with golden eyes.

"Run!" Natsume shouted, and I knew he was talking to me.

"No! I can't leave you behind!"

"Stupid! Why the hell don't you listen to anything I say?"

"No! I'm not going anywhere without you!"

"GET THE FUCKIN' AWAY FROM HERE!"

"AND I'M FREAKIN' TELLING YOU 'NO'!"

_Why am I arguing with him? I should just run away and save myself._

But I didn't move.

The black wolf started to wrestle with Natsume. And I was just watching. Waiting for an opportunity to strike.

_Strike?_

Then from above, a shadow loomed over me. Something cold.

Something black.

And then he talked.

"I got you."

**VRRRRRBB. VRRRRRRRBB. VRRRRRBB.**

I opened my eyes and jolted up, cold sweats covering my face.

Dream.

It was just a dream.

No, more likely, that dream _again._

I've been haunted by the same dream over and over these past few weeks. And every time, there would be a slight progress. Just like that dream I had just now. It was always a faceless guy I'd run away with, but now, it's Natsume.

Strange.

Strange for me to dream of a wolf. But even stranger to dream of Natsume Hyuuga. Him saving me must have taken its effect on my mind, thus having him included in the dream.

And then there's this other guy. The guy who jumped at me. Who the heck is that?

No, why am I thinking about it when it's just a dream?

But even if I deny it, there's this small voice inside my head saying that it's not just a dream. Something about it makes me feel uneasy. Who would dream of the same dream over and over in the first place anyway?

**VRRRRRBBB. VRRRRRBB.**

I felt the vibration somewhere on my bed. I know that vibration enough, that's my phone. I rummaged my sheets to find the one that woke me up, and alas, there it is, lights blinking on and off because of a new voice mail.

I grabbed it at once, knowing there could only be one person to call me – Hotaru.

_Wake up, lazy bones._

_Mikan, I've been waking you up for ten minutes now. You better come out of that room any minute now._

_That's it. Taste my wrath later._

The last message was sent… Ten minutes ago?

"Crap! Ouch!" I hurriedly went out of the bed, making me fall in the process. But it's better than Hotaru's wrath!

-:-

I stopped walking right in front of our classroom door. I always go in through the back door seeing that I'm sitting at the back of the class. Not that I'm complaining since going through this way makes me less noticeable.

I filled my lungs with air, and then I noticed, everything is _silent._

Is Natsume in already? I didn't know he's the kind of person who attends class regularly. Oh, no, wait, scratch that. That guy, yeah, sure. He attends regularly, but all he does is sleep. I wonder how he manages to always have a good grade. Even Jinno sensei is having a hard time lecturing him – which is amazing in itself.

I carefully and slowly slid the door open and peeked in, and in an instant, Hotaru's eyes met mine.

_You made me wait for more than thirty minutes, Mikan._

"Ugh…"

I walked in, ready to face whatever scrutinizing eyes I have to meet. Especially from the two attendants who witnessed everything yesterday, or were _involved_ more likely.

_She has the guts to come even after what happened yesterday?_ I heard Wakako's thoughts.

But there was no Luna. She must have been embarrassed to come with a swollen cheek – which was Natsume's doing, I presume. How come that guy hit girls? What a prick.

But thinking of _why_ Natsume did that, I felt my heart tightened. Knowing that someone did something because of me, it was something new. Well, not entirely because of Hotaru. But Hotaru is on a different level than Natsume, she's more of like a sister – a family. And Natsume wasn't, isn't. And a stranger doing that to save me? It's unthinkable.

I shook my head, trying desperately to shake away any stupid ideas I get. I'm not special, the guy don't even know me well enough to save me. So, I convinced myself with the thought that it must have been just a random thing in his part.

Or maybe he's not really that bad after all…?

Speaking of Natsume, where is that guy?

"Aren't we going in? Polka."

My eyes twitched. I know that voice very well.

Why does he have a habit of appearing behind me? And 'Polka'? Good thing he reminded me of that stupid thing! I can't believe he saw my bra yesterday! Well, it's the other guy's fault for ripping my shirt, but still, Natsume shouldn't have, I dunno, voiced it out? I mean, get a clue, idiot!

Okay, no, he's not _not_ bad at all. He's plain evil. He's the exact embodiment for the word.

"Stop calling me that stupid name, stupid!" I walked in without even daring to turn around and look him in the eye, him trailing behind me.

"Why?"

I rolled my eyes. "And here I thought you're a genius."

"I am."

_They're together again._

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just stop calling me that hideous name." I put my things on my desk.

_Why is she always around him?_

Wrong, people. You should wonder why he always sticks to me, not the other way around. You're confusing and jumbling the truth.

"It's not my fault for wearing a stupid underwear."

My eyes widened as I turned around to him, shocked at his nonchalant statement. "Natsume! You stupid, perverted freak! Do you want me to give you a microphone so you could tell them more about _private_ stuffs?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Why? It's your bra, not mine." And the next thing I knew, my inside shoes were flying towards his face.

"Ughh! You are so frustrating the hell out of me!"

"Waahh!" My classmates gasped, but I heard Ruka's voice louder. I didn't even notice he was standing right behind Natsume all this time.

"Na-Natsume…" Ruka stuttered, his face making a weird deformation.

A few seconds later, I started to feel a murderous aura.

Crap.

"Mi-kan…" Natsume called out my name in a very dangerous hiss.

Okay, knowing the fact that he calls me 'oi' most of the time, him calling me by my first name must have meant that I hit a nerve on his pride. But there's just no way in hell that I'd back out!

"Wha-What?" Damn. Could I have been any more nervous than that?

"Is that any way to treat your saviour?" Natsume hissed not too softly, not minding if the whole world is listening.

_Saviour?_

_What's he talking about?_

_He saved Yukihara?_

_Mikan, what's this all about?_

I flinched as I recognized to whom that voice belongs, and I looked at her – at Hotaru, but didn't find the right words to explain. "I, well, he… he's just a freakin' pervert!" and I started to dash out. I know I'll taste her wrath ten folds later.

"Where do you think you're going? Stupid Polka!" I knew he was going to get me, and I know I'm stupid, but not _that _stupid to let him!

"Somewhere far away from you!" I screamed out.

And I unconsciously did something that I usually do only around Hotaru – I stuck my tongue out. That certainly got their attention. But who cares?

_Whaaat? So she can be normal._

_She's more like a human when she acts that way._

Huh? Did I hear it right?

And then, right before I could step out of the classroom, a boy suddenly walked in – and I involuntarily flinched, making me temporarily paralyzed.

"Mikan?" Hotaru came to me. She's sharp, and there's no way in hell I'm going to let her know about _that._ So, I did what I always do in front of strangers – I faked a smile.

"Sorry, Hotaru! I'm outta here!"

And I dashed out.

-:-

I stared at nothingness.

My feet brought me here to the lake, the lake where I would always end up to in my dreams. The beautiful scenery was in front of me, but somehow, my eyes wasn't appreciating the exquisite beauty.

What I did to Hotaru was unfair. She's my best friend, she cares for me enough to even be interested in researches just to find a cure for me – if this ability is even a disease. As of now, I'm sure she's thinking about why I'm keeping secrets from her seeing that she would always be the one to know everything that happens to me first. Heck, she was even the one I showed my first hundred percent score in my examination sheet to before my mum.

Yeah. I should probably tell her.

But I'd better skip the 'almost getting raped' part or she might lose some screw and hunt those weird bastards and the three witches.

"Heh." I chuckled. What a scary person my best friend is.

I stood up and walked back towards the class. Well, it's already break time so it's the best time for me to slip in. Then, with only just a few steps more before I got out of the forest, something caught my attention. Something white. Something at my far right.

"What's that?"

If curiosity kills the cat, I might be dead now for I found myself walking towards that direction. My heart was thumping loudly, and louder in each step forward that I make. Because in every step closer, I could hear muffles getting louder and louder. And my heart almost jumped out when I got close enough to recognize what or _who_ caught my attention.

It was them. Those three guys who attacked me.

But it's not just that. They were tied up loosely on a tree with a loose gag on their mouth.

"Mppff!"

I thought they were stupid. So stupid to grab hold of the tree and have a loose rope tied on them. They were even biting the gag firmly to prevent it from sliding off. If it wasn't for the fear evident from their face, I would have rolled my eyes. "What are you guys doing?"

Three pair of eyes looked at me, and blood almost left their faces. "Wha –?"

I tried to walk to them, to help them, but they shook their head none too gently, demanding I leave them alone.

What the hell? And here I am, trying to be nice enough to rescue my attackers. For goodness' sake, they attacked me _yesterday._ They almost raped me. But heck, what can I do? Seeing them so helpless in the midst of this wilderness makes me… well, pity them.

"Puh-please… Just – just leave us alone." One of the guy stated, his mouth trembling in fear, his eyes edged with tears.

"Huh? But – "

"No! Please! If – If Natsume finds out… if he finds out…" The other couldn't finish his sentence as his words seemed to have filled him with more dread.

"Natsume did this to you? Natsume? Natsume Hyuuga?" I repeated the name, wanting to make sure that I was talking of the same Natsume that they were talking about.

The third guy, the one who seemed to be the leader looked at me with pleading eyes. "Please… we, we ask for your forgiveness… please, ask him to let us go…"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Let them go? Let – let them -? For crying our loud, no one was stopping them! No one was even there to guard every little thing they do! The ropes are loose. There's no Natsume around. So, what's keeping them here? "What are you talking about? You're not even tightly tied."

"But – but he – he'll know. Oh, yes, he'll know for sure…" The leader talked, his eyes on the ground, but seemed like he was seeing something else. "Those eyes… Oh, yes, he'll know… Nothing, nothing can escape his eyes… He's – he's a – he's a m-monster… Monster!" He stuttered in whispers, but said the last word a little louder.

And he erupted in a maniacal laughter.

His eyes seeing something. Something I hope not to see.

His body trembling in fear –fear I'm not familiar of.

Seeing him lose his mind sent shivers down my spine.

Three guys cower in silence fearing the name Natsume Hyuuga.

I always knew he was a beast. He's a retarded moron who's got no manners. But what can he do to make three, and I mean, three _guys_ tremble in fear? They wouldn't even dare leave the spot where, I presume, Natsume left them.

Who the heck is Natsume Hyuuga anyway?

"_You don't remember?"_

Goose bumps covered my entirety as Natsume's voice echoed inside my head, making me remember.

"_You don't remember anything other than that?"_

I stood still as the cold breeze of air brushed past me, making my hair dance along with it. In my eyes, the world went still, time stopped.

I remember it now.

My chest tightened as I found myself remembering the event I shouldn't have forgotten. Dizziness took over me as everything inside my head went clear. My mind rewound that fearsome event, what exactly happened when Natsume Hyuuga came to rescue me.

"_Are you hurt anywhere?"_

I was so preoccupied that moment he saved me that I didn't notice.

"_Those bastards! I'm gonna get them."_

When I opened my eyes to look at my saviour's face, I wasn't looking at bloody red orbs.

"_I can see the past with one touch."_

I was looking at striking golden eyes.

Oh, yes.

I remember.

-:-

-:-

_Why me? Why me, when there are so many girls out there who practically die everyday just to see you? I didn't even know you existed, far from those girls who know your family background, what you did last summer, what type of blood you have. So, why the heck did you walk to me when I desperately needed a time alone?_

_-I was so irritated back then because of him –since he wouldn't leave me alone, so I asked him this the next day after we met._

_Then he answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, (which made me even more irritated at that time),_

'_Dunno. When I saw you alone back then, when you ignorantly talked back to me without knowing who I was (let's just say he's a bit like Natsume, an icon in the world he's in), I figured I'd give you a hard time.''_


	5. Talking What?

_Trust is something that has been erased from my dictionary ever since I was a child. I grew up to suspect every little change I see in a person's antics and eye movements because of repeated betrayals._

_So, when my first love unexpectedly came (I was in 1__st__ yr college back then, I'm in my 4__th__ yr now), I was thrown off guard. _

_He was a cheater._

_And I was afraid to love again._

-:-

-:-

I stared blankly at the all too familiar of a white ceiling. It was the very same old ceiling I've gotten used to looking for the past few years that I'm in this academy, yet at the same time, the other part of the room changes ever so constantly. No, not the paint, not the interior, but what's inside. Every damn time I'd be here, there would always be an additional piece of junk in sight –or at least to me, it's a junk.

But no, not to the one who owns the room. Not to Hotaru Imai. Since, those stupid-looking-complicated junks are all of her inventions; inventions to make her living easier, or inventions to make her loads richer.

I pressed a little further on the back of the couch, trying to ease my senses a little; since, it had already been a good five minutes when the eerie silence war had begun.

The moment I started to feel the tension build inside Hotaru's lab, I instantly regretted telling her of what happened to me by the hands of Luna. From experience, from _bloody_ and _unforgettable_ –quite literally– experience, I just know what's running inside Hotaru's mind right now even without me having to use my mind-reading ability. She's thinking of a hundred and one ways to make Luna Koizumi's life a living hell.

I cringed at the thought… _her_ thoughts.

It took me a day to finally consider telling her about what happened, and it took me two days more before I could even construct the essay I was about to tell without igniting her gears. But I guess wanting to tell her without getting her fume in anger is just plain impossible.

Hm.

Damn lucky I decided not to tell her about the _almost_ getting raped part. If I had somehow managed to be the idiotic girl I ever was, she wouldn't be here sitting in front of me staring off to nothingness while she thinks. No. She wouldn't be here at all, in her lab. She would be, as much as I hated to think of it, on her way making her thoughts into actions.

Having my tolerance reached its limits when she just thought about putting fresh dead rat's body in her indoor shoes, take a picture or two of the said villainous girl while she's at the bathroom urinating and post copies all over the school, I called out. "Um… Hotaru? You know how much I love you and, really, I'm grateful and all, but, can, can you please stop thinking about_ those_ right now? You know it's really making me uncomfortable here."

She looked at me with contemplating eyes, as if wondering why on earth I'd be uncomfortable. And when it clicked to her that I _can_ hear, read, or see, or whatever, what's in people's minds, she formed an 'o' with her mouth. But a good two seconds later, she started it again. With more _morbid _images.

I laughed dryly of her sense of humour. Really, this girl.

A sigh of weariness escaped my lips as I slouched down, feeling the heaviness in my shoulders.

Though I decided to tell her of what happened between Luna and me, no matter how one-sided it may be to say 'between', I decided not to tell her about the _other_ happening. No. I didn't tell her of what I have discovered. I never mentioned anything about _that certain person_ who claimed to be able to see the past.

And about the golden eyes.

I felt a shudder ran through me as I remembered his eyes back then. As far as I know, Natsume Hyuuga has a very deep and almost shining crimson eyes. It was what I noticed about him in the first place. So, why, why in the world did he have golden eyes that day he saved me? Is it natural for a person to have changing eye colours in every different time of the day or in what mood they're in?

Hah! I almost sneered at myself from even thinking about it.

How I just wish I could pretend to be a little bit more stupid and idiotic than I already am so I could fool myself that _that_ certain phenomena is certainly normal. Too bad though for me though, I am not as stupid as that!

People changing eye colour depending on a situation? Humans cannot and never will! But then again, it's the only option I have that I could ever consider to believe. That in fact, people indeed change their eye colour. Even if I haven't experienced it myself first hand. Or Hotaru. Not my parents. I can even imagine myself thinking that it might be caused by a mental trigger or something, or even a disease if it's still not possible.

I have to believe in that sole option. Unless, of course, if I ever consider Natsume Hyuuga as _not_ human. And me thinking about him being far from human just makes it all too… ridiculous! I mean, what the hell? Of course, Natsume Hyuuga might be _a little bit _above any special human being because of his to-die-for gorgeous looks, but that's it! It doesn't mean that he _is _a monster.

And I can't afford to even pause and think about him as a monster. Because if I ever did, then I'm afraid that a day would come for me to consider myself as one of those _freaks._ Well, let's face reality. How many people wander about the earth with a mind-reading ability anyway?

"Mikan!" Hotaru's high-pitched voice pulled me out of the train of thoughts inside my head. "What are you spacing out for? I've been calling you for quite some time now." She leaned to me closer, watching intently with her shining deep violet orbs and murmured. "Really. You have a habit of dozing off."

"Oh? Ah, sorry 'bout that. I was just wondering how to stop you from running rampage." Even I shocked myself from the smooth lie that just came out of my mouth.

Hotaru looked sceptical for a moment, but then shrugged off as she leaned back against her chair. "Hm. You idiot. Did you really think you can stop me once I started?"

A lump of air got stuck in my throat. Hotaru gone berserk? No. There's just no way I can stop her. For all I know, she'll just run me over. I laughed dryly and scratched my cheek. "Hehe. Impossible, impossible."

My best friend scoffed boastfully, taking what I said as a compliment before taking a sip on her tea. It was then that I decided to take my leave before I could spill anything more. And telling her about _it_ is out of my list.

I went straight to my room and changed immediately, deciding to go and stand to the balcony where I could see the forest perfectly in its glory with the full moon pouring more beauty. Tonight is like any other night. A night that came after the day. But somehow, there is something in this 'tonight' that makes it look more alluring than those previous; perhaps it's the moon, because tonight, the moon is radiating more of its blue light.

I gasped in shock and clutched at my hair tight as waves of pain went through my head.

It's _this_, again.

Every night, just every stupid night, my head would hurt like something is attempting to rip my brain from the inside out. And as obvious as it is, that kind of pain isn't anywhere near pleasure. To someone like me, night is worse than day, because in day, I could only hear what people are saying inside their private mind; I could only see what they are imagining to see; I could only read what they are thinking. And those come in a pretty 'normal' scale.

During night, however, is the hardest time for me; because when people sleep, it's like they're alive and awake in another dimension. Some relive their past while there are others who just simply 'lives' in their dreams. To someone like me, it is scariest at night because at night, people's imagination soars free.

All they have to do is dream, and just like that, I am sucked in their wildest worlds, experiencing the same thing they do. I could probably endure _it_ if they're like kids who dreams of rainbows and care bears while they fly through the fluffy clouds riding little cute white horses. But it's stings _when_ I'm hit with their nightmares.

Even though limply, I hurriedly went to my bed-side table to grab my medication to ease the pain. I waited for a few moments before I felt the throbbing ease a little, and that was when I decided to have my usual little walks.

-:-

No. I most definitely did not go for a walk here, by the _lake_, because of that teeny wheeny little memory I had here with a certain raven boy. No. Definitely not.

I came here not even knowing how. My feet just dragged me here.

I sat down by the edge of the lake and looked at my reflection. My hair is loose, and I was just wearing my nighties. "Great." I even forgot to wear a jacket in rush to get out of the dorms. A sigh escaped my mouth and I felt my chest rise and fall in a constant rhythmic pattern. "Somehow, I always end up being here."

True. It was here that Natsume dragged me off, it was here that I decided to tell Hotaru of what happened, and it's here that I… it's here that I would constantly run to in my dreams.

That dream – no, it was more like a nightmare. A nightmare that repeats itself over and over and over frighteningly.

I tried to busy myself with looking at the reflection of the moon to the lake. Beautiful. Breath-takingly beautiful. Everything was shimmering before my eyes. Looking at the scene before me made my eyes hazy, and I could feel that for another five minutes, sleep would be coming to greet me. Not that I care, though. Every time that I would go out for a walk, I would make sure that when the time I got back, I'd be too tired to even notice my dorm mates' nightmares. And then, I'd just go to sleep, and every noises and images people sends to me would all be wiped out.

With another lazy blink, I gathered all of my will to stand up. There's just no way I'm sleeping out here on the cold. No. No way.

And so, I stood up and dusted off the dirt on my clothes, and turned around to take my leave, but when I turned, I saw something black flashed before my eyes. I narrowed my eyes, trying to see what it was, but when realization slap me hard, I froze in an instant. Sleep, it seems, has escaped me and alertness came in to greet me instead. My eyes widened in shock, my feet glued to the ground. I could feel my body starting to shake, and I'm almost sure it's not because of the breeze of that night. No.

My body was shaking uncontrollably in fear of the sight before me.

Wolf – no, _wolves_. Those creatures were covered in their shining black furs, shielding them like armour. Their golden eyes piercing me with all their might. But what alarmed me the most was the fact that their fangs were out and directed at me, little growls of hunger escaping their mouths.

Little pricks at my nape alarmed me. Heck, everything before me shouted danger but I couldn't move. I was stupidly stuck on the ground, waiting for something to happen.

A single wolf, perhaps their alma, started to walk to me, not letting our eye contact waver in any way. Every step he made, every inch he's closer to me almost seemed to drain my remaining energy as new realization of another foreboding fact made its way to me. When he was but a few feet away, that realization hit me: he's huge. He stood proud and tall, towering over me as I had to bend my neck and look up so I could meet his gaze.

I didn't even know when or how, but when I blinked, I was already looking at its fangs. Then I thought, if this wolf here attacks me and eat me, I am sure as hell that my head would fit inside his mouth, not to mention that there'd be possible spaces more for my limbs.

Chills ran down my spine, and I could tell the trembling of my body has heightened in an unbelievably rate. My mouth was gaping open, but no coherent words made its way out. I was stuttering and was just making a nonsense of a noise.

"Wh… K… S…"

With a low growl, the wolf took another step towards me; and I stepped back.

Damn. I have to run. Need to run. But where to? And how the hell can I escape with these humongous wolves blocking any way? I looked at left and right and back, desperately seeking of an escape route.

"Shit… shit… shit…" I hissed under my breathe, panic starting to run over.

"_Grrr…_" Its growl made its way through my ears, making my hairs stand to no end.

Shit. Shit!

I have to run!

The huge black wolf bent its head down to me, making me stop fidgeting in an instant. I closed my eyes in panic, not wanting to see what he'd do to me –me who he can easily snap into two. Then, I heard it sniff.

Curiosity of safety. I struggled to know what to do –sate my curiosity of what the wolf is sniffing or continue to completely shut my eye and hold my breath. Damn. Curiosity killed the cat. I opened one of my eye and took a peek to the wolf before me, and immediately regretted it. The wolf's mouth was inches away from me, sniffing me wildly as if there was no tomorrow. Then, in another swift motion, the black wolf stood tall again and broke the eerily silent night with its howl.

"_Awooo…! It's her!"_

It spoke! It just freakin' spoke! I watched in awe as the wolf basked in the radiance of moonlight, but then again, in a blink of an eye, its claws found its way to me which I only reflected using my arms as a shield. I groaned in pain as I felt my muscles tore, like papers being torn to pieces using bare hands –it was throbbing and trembling, screaming pain. I felt hot tears edging in my eyes, weeping for the injured member of the body.

Without waiting for another second and without another thought, I dashed away. Not knowing where, not knowing for how long, I wasn't even sure if I could really get away from those pack.

I felt the air around me stiffen that I couldn't breathe properly as I ran, yet I could still feel the coldness the wind blew on me that my face has gone numb. I dashed inside the forest, thinking that maybe somehow, I could get away from those monsters. "Someone…" I whispered in between my heavy pants. "Some… someone…" I knew that tears were rolling down non-stop, but I couldn't care less. I was running here to have an attempt to lengthen my life.

Sharp branches whipped their way on my over exposed body, adding cuts and bloods in compliment with my limping injured arm.

The rumbling and trembling of the earth made me aware that those huge talking wolves were still on trail of me. And it just made my heart beat a lot more violently against my ribs. "It talked. It talked! It talked! It talked! Shit… Talking, really?"

What can I do? Just run? For how long? Shit. Is there no way to escape this? Is this the end? I have got so many things I have yet to do. So many things yet to be said. Hotaru, my best friend, she's probably doing her usual of inventing and researching. She must thought I'm already tucked in my bed sheets, sleeping soundly. Tough luck, though, because I'm here running for my dear life.

My parents… my loving parents. After so much trouble of raising a defect of a child like me, now they're just going to lose me. Heh, it might be better this way. At least they wouldn't have to be afraid of my well-being anymore. Maybe after death, I'd be relieved of this curse and live on the after life quite normally. Thinking about them right now made it seem like my whole life passed just before my eyes, like what elders say happens to those nearing their end.

I smiled bitterly. "The end, huh." I can't believe I'd be done for by a pack of talking wolves! And then, I stopped my tracks. There was no more to run to. No more to hide. No energy left to make me run more. I turned around to look at the predator coming after me, knowing they're just a few feet away from me. What more can I do than just to accept my fate? But if there is anything, I just wish for my death to be fast and painless.

The silence of the night and the peering moon above us would be the only witness of my bloody last page, and I closed my eyes, waiting for death to come greet me.

I waited for a moment, but then, pair of strong arms got a hold of my waist and hoisted me to what seemed like the person's broad shoulders. My eyes shot wide open of the touch, and before I felt the sensation of my stomach being left to the ground as we jumped high up, I thought I saw a group of people fighting those monsters. I even heard those wolves' whimpers.

I choked on the air, making a weird sound that was like a gasp. The pressure of being so high was uncomfortable but still bearable enough. I watched the scene before my eyes zoomed out, not believing how this person hoisting me on the shoulder was treating me. Why in the world is this person treating me like a sack of rice?

Just when I thought of how poor this person's manner was, I felt my eyes widened again in surprise. The trembling, the fear, the anxiety of death, they have all escaped me. My tears have dried up in an instant, right when this person here touched me and carried me away. Despite the crude way of carrying me, this person was actually touching me carefully, as if I'd break to small pieces. How come I felt relieved when this person dragged me out of there? For all I know, this person here can just be a kidnapper of some sort. And anyway, how can a person jump this high that we were towering over the trees?

"Who are you?" I asked the person whose identity was yet unknown to me.

"…"

I felt my temper hit the climax in an instant. How could this person ignore me when I just practically cheated death a moment earlier in just the nick of the time? Not to mention a speaking wolf! I grabbed a hold of this person's clothes and helped myself up so I could see not the person's butt but the person's face. On my way up, I noticed the person's hair. Messy and layered raven hair that was maybe two inch passing the shoulder blades which was fluttering along the wind; and I thought that person is a girl. A strong girl at that since she could hold me up by just one arm.

I huffed. "Excuse me, but could you please tell me what in the world is going on? And, though I am really thankful, please tell me who the hell – "

Golden eyes.

I was met by golden eyes. Eyes so clear that I could see those tiny black and darker shades of golden specks inside. It was so clear I swear I could have seen the moon reflected on it. And in an instant, I was lost.

Time stopped in my world. Everything turned to black, all that was left was me, those golden eyes, and the shining blue moon. The injured arm has long been forgotten.

"Pretty…" Those eyes were. So frighteningly beautiful that I was sucked in an instant. I held out my hand and touched her face, wanting to see more of the mysterious orbs. Her skin was cold, so cold it might have bitten my palms numb. I have no idea if it's cold because of the wind or not, but it was not of my priority. I inched to her closer, so close I could feel her breath on my face. But it was no matter to me, for what I longed for was just those pretty golden eyes.

I was lost in a daze looking at those eyes. And I swore I saw these eyes before.

"Like what you're seeing?" A boyish smirk ran across her face, and if her mouth didn't move, I would have thought that there was a guy somewhere near us. But her mouth did, and her voice wasn't that of 'hers' but of a 'his'. Would it take a genius to unfold these out? No. I might be stupid that I would welcome death with open arms but not that stupid to not realize that this person holding me was in fact a 'he', not a 'she'.

He was, in fact, so beautiful before my eyes that I didn't care whether he's a 'he' or a 'she'. He was so beautiful I thought he was some sort of a creature far from a human. Long eye lashes, pale-pink lips, pale complexion. I would have thought having those would make a person look girly. But, no. Even having those girly traits, he remained very much a 'he'. His aura of superiority, the ever-permanent scowl on his face, his boyish smirk and sharp eyes. They were all too familiar.

And then it clicked.

How common is it for people to have golden eyes? Of course I have seen these before.

"Natsume."

I felt my brows furrow and I narrowed my eyes at him. How in the world can it be? In just a few hours, how can a guy grow his hair out that I instantly thought he was a girl? But it's not just that… No, it's not just about the hair.

The ever changing eyes.

Inhuman strength…

I felt the chills crawl on my skin, and before I knew it, my feet were touching solid ground again as Natsume let me down. We have safely landed. But that was the least of the matter I have in mind.

Oh, he has some explaining to do.

-:-

-:-

_I was afraid to love again. _

_So, when HE came, I didn't know what to do. He kept on bugging the hell out of me. He would always appear out of nowhere. He was the one person I couldn't understand. So many times he'd pick on me, times when he'd just sit beside me and not talk all day; then, there are times when he's a complete 180. _

_He doesn't say much. (Which is why I thought maybe reading minds would come in handy. Especially when dealing with him.) And somewhere along the way, he became part of my life._

_I didn't know when it started. I never noticed when was the time that I started to fall._

_One day, I just woke up realizing that, damn, I already fell._

_And damn, I fell hard, on top of that. _


	6. You've Got to be Kidding Me

_It's good to know that someone knows you, every part of your past, and understands every crooks and cranny of your twisted personality._

-:-

-:-

"What in the blazing fires of fuckin' hell were you doing back there?" Natsume roared straight to my face once we were inside his room. Furious was an understatement, though as to why, I didn't know. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was deadly worried about me. I didn't know what he was talking about, and I couldn't care less. I was more into staring at him than listening to whatever nonsense he's sprouting. "Are you even fuckin' listening?"

I blinked. "Oh, yeah, right. Pardon?" I heard him the first time, I just wanted to tease him.

"Fuck." He murmured under his breath and walked straight to his bed and plopped down. It was then that I noticed his room –and the people in it. There were a bunch of people inside, and they were all wearing the same kind of… uniform. A very stylish black clothes fit for like, a private army of the nobles or something.

I stared back at that golden-eyed ass, feeling everything, observing his every movements. No. Wait. I shouldn't be distracted. I need an explanation, and gawking at Natsume's out-of-this-world appearance isn't helping me to answer anything. Air filled my lungs as I readied myself to ask for the truth courageously. Let's face it, knowing what the hell those talking wolves meant by 'that's her' pertaining to me, really makes me uncomfortable.

I mustered all of my strength to open my mouth and in one breath, I asked all of the things I had inside my head, "Whatthehelljusthappened?Theyweretalkingasifit'sthemostnauralthingtodo!Thosewolvesdid!Andwhy'syourhairlikethat?Howcomeyou'vegotgoldeneyes?Whatdidtheymeanwhentheysaid-"

"Woah! Woah! Hold your horses, girl!" I heard a boy chuckled. I whipped my head to the direction of the voice because somewhere inside me, I just had this feeling that I've heard that voice from somewhere before. And sure enough, the boy named Koko wearing the same kind of uniform the rest wears, greeted me with his boyish grin. "I didn't know you could talk that fast! But that's amazing, really."

My eyes widened in surprise, though I felt like I shouldn't have been surprised at all. "What the hell?" I frowned directly to him. "Okay, that's so funny. Bring the camera out and let's get the party started. Hotaru, is this your idea of fun? Come out here. And let me see my face when you all tricked me." I focused my attention to secretly pry in their little minds, wanting to know what Hotaru might be thinking.

_Is she the girl?_

_She doesn't seem like it._

_Why is she looking for Imai?_

No Hotaru in radar. I gasped when I realized there was no 'Blackmailing-queen-for-the-sake-of-money' around, which means that everything is quite serious somehow. I looked at Koko, and when I saw a flash of blonde beside Natsume's bed, my eyes involuntarily looked at it –and there was Ruka. Ruka in a white version of their uniform. I frowned yet again. "What in the world is happening?"

Rummages of sheets and violent motion stopped me from asking more. I looked at Natsume only to see him walking towards me and stopping only a few inches away from my face. "That's what I was asking you, idiot! What in the world were you fucking thinking? You could have been fucking killed! There was a fucking high chance of possibility that you would end not just with this bloody fucking limp arm the moment you fucking stopped running!"

I thought my ears were going to bleed in his so much cursing. Really, how many times did he mention 'fuck' in his speech? But as soon as he mentioned about the _bloody limp arm,_ I found myself wincing in pain. I almost forgot that yeah, I had a bloody limp arm. Hm, wonders of distractions, really. "Well, sorry for stopping running away since I didn't have _inhuman_ stamina like a certain _somebody._" Really, how far did he jump here and there until we reached his room? And he wasn't even breathing hard!

"How fucking idiotic can a stupid idiot like you can fucking be?" He grabbed his hair in frustration. "It's a fucking common sense to run away when one sees a wolf! What more if it's a fuckin' pack of huge wolves? Or are you even spared of common sense, huh, Polka?"

Stupid? What the hell? That did it! Who does he think he is? Wasn't I allowed to be scared? "How can you freakin' mention _common sense_ here when I just encountered a freakin' TALKING wolf? Can you even group _those_ in common sense? Speaking of which, you're not even under that criteria seeing that you've got changing eye colors and in a freakin' span of few hours, you've grown your hair into what, two inches more? Huh! And don't call me POLKA!"

"I'll fuckin' call you whatever I want, stupid! 'Cause you're stupid! Don't you dare drag my fuckin' eye nor hair in this! You could have fuckin' died back there, you hear? And it's all because of your fuckin' stupidity!" His voice booming in anger, his eyes flickering furious and a tinge of I didn't know what. But before I could even tell what that was, it was already gone.

I rolled my eyes. "Natsume Hyuuga, what's this? Are you worried now that your oh-so-weak-Polka was in danger? Huh?"

Silence.

The room was enveloped in silence, the tense atmosphere ever so obvious. What, no retort? And here I thought he was good in making and winning arguments.

_He's really worried, isn't he? This is the first I've seen him lose control of his never bulging coolness._

My eyes widened. "No way." There's just no way that he was worried, is there? I mean, we're not even _that_ close. I wanted to deny it all I could, but seeing his silent face crumpled in I didn't know what, I guess he was really worried.

I saw him flinch, and those sharp eyes narrowed even more. The moment I saw tall and thick walls surrounded him again like a fortress to keep him safe, I instantly regretted my outbursts. He has retreated once again inside his own perfect little world. With an expressionless face, cold gaze and aura of superiority cloaked around him, he walked away quietly and full of dignity to the balcony and gracefully jumped out of the window.

That cold gaze sort of made something buckle in my chest. Though I wasn't really sure what.

We were all quiet inside, no one even dared to follow Natsume out. But then, Ruka broke the suffocating silence with his remark. "He was really worried, you know."

"Yeah. It's the first that he acted like that." Koko scratched his cheek. "He's usually composed and everything even when the world comes crumbling apart."

That bitch-slapped me. Okay, I might apologize later, but not now. I'm still mad as it is for him calling me stupid. I looked at Ruka straight in the eye. I don't know the other three boys, and between him and Koko, I suspected that he was the more of a responsible one. I gritted my teeth. "I need explanations. Who are you and those people back there who fought with those wolves?"

Ruka sighed in defeat as he ushered me on a chair. "Okay, but first, we have to take care of that bloody arm."

I blinked. Oh, yeah. I had a bloody arm.

-:-

"Do you believe in legends, Sakura?" Ruka asked me with all seriousness in his tone right after he finished bandaging my wound. He grabbed another chair and dragged it in front of me so we could talk face to face.

I scoffed in his question. "Yeah, like Cinderella or something. What's this, a fairytale marathon?"

He frowned. "No. This is much more serious than fairytales. This is reality." His tone made me feel uneasy, as if there was something grave that I should know. Do you know the feeling of waiting for the doctor to give the good or bad news outside the operating room? That's how edgy I felt.

I mentioned him to continue, and he did. "Well, among the legends, there is this one about a certain… heir. An heir of the moon."

"Moon?" He raised his brow and I went silent in an instant.

When he was sure that I wouldn't make any more interruptions, he continued his tale again. "The moon, if you ever notice, is a crucial part in every other legends. How many legends have mentioned that the moon brings out the great power inside a… _creature_? In every legend, it always says that the moon is the _source_ of power. Without the moon, vampires can't walk the earth; werewolves cannot transform; spells cannot be casted; seals cannot be broken. Even in nature, the moon always has an impact. The seas rise, the flowers bloom. For those lost people, it brings out hope. That's how powerful the Moon is."

I looked at Ruka with all intensity. Somehow, along the way of his speech, a bubble has found its way on my stomach. A legend, that was all it was, but as soon as he started, a chill ran down through my spine. And it looked like it hasn't any intention of leaving me yet. Why would he be so serious in something like a legend?

"Now, as I was saying, there's this legend about an heir –an heir who appears _every other_ five hundred years; an heir who inherits those powers. In the legend, it says that once, after Diane –the moon- has gone weak because of her non-stop performance of duty, a disaster came to be. She couldn't maintain the balance of power well, and thus, a tragedy befell the earth.

Because of this, the goddess was given no choice but to select a human she sees fit to be her substitute while she sleeps. The substitute, which is the heir. Diane didn't want this, for she thought that forcing a huge responsibility to a mere human is unfair, but she had no choice. Given that the options lain before here were destruction of the whole earth, or make a single human burden the duty and maintain the balance, she chose to shed her power to the heir and let him continue the duty for five hundred years while she sleeps."

A flash came to me; an illusion. Somehow, I saw myself standing in the middle of a lake, bathed by the light of the full moon. Everything was sparkling, and it felt like I was at peace… like I belong there. I immediately dismissed the image. _Looks like I'm getting carried away by his story._

"The heir has to perform his duty wisely. Maintain the balance of power, not letting anything tip the scales, for a single grain of rice makes a huge amount of difference. Single mistake and the whole world would fall to chaos.

But here's the award of the heir: when Diane wakes up after five hundred years of slumber, she will once again face her heir to redeem him of the responsibility and make his one wish come true. And the cycle goes on." Ruka took a deep breath, indicating that his story was finished.

I looked at him, all questions in mind, but didn't know what to ask first. And so, I said what a person would normally say. "Well, that's… um, a good story. So, what does that got to do with the events tonight? Um, the talking wolf, remember?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Koko pried in. He went to stand beside me and put his hands on my shoulder, an endearment of friendship, I guess. "You missed the point, Mikan. That's not a _story_. What Ruka here said to you was a _history_."

"Wait, what? I thought we were talking about a legend?" I'm starting to get confused.

Ruka smiled, his angelic face lightening up the mood. "Legends according to norms, Sakura. People label things they don't understand as heresy."

"So, so, you mean, it's true? The legend, that is." I stuttered.

"Of course!" Koko chirped and announced like it was the most natural thing to do.

I rolled my eyes. "Are you kidding me? How can that be true –"

"As true as the talking wolf, an out of this world Natsume, and most certainly as true as you reading minds."

I looked at Ruka in bewilderment as he mentioned the last part of his sentence. Without warning, I stood up and backed away from them, feeling danger. How can that be? How did he know about _it?_ I was so sure I was careful around people! My parents hid me to the world. Hotaru wouldn't blab off. I wouldn't sell myself out. "What are you talking about?" I feigned innocence.

Koko sat down beside me and motioned his hands in the air as if he was tired or something. "Come on! Of course we knew! We've practically been searching for you since like, forever!"

"What?" I narrowed my eyes. Wherever this talk might be going, I don't like it. Not one bit.

"You're the heir, Sakura. Or more like _heiress_. Your mind reading ability is one of the proofs. You need that to see past through everyone, to judge how you will balance the scale." Blonde's voice still as calm as ever.

I shook my head and smiled in complete mystification. "Oh no, no, no no no. You've gotta be kidding me. I may be a defect child but there's just no way in hell I'm the heir –_heiress!_ I mean, that legend's not even true! Of course it's not true! That talking wolf might have even been my imagination!" I felt my arm twitch in pain, reminding me of the earlier encounter. "You're all nuts." I whispered.

"Fine." Koko stated in a serious tone, a tone I haven't heard of him ever. "Don't believe it. But the fact that you're in danger doesn't change. That arm's the proof of it."

I fell silent for a while, taking in the consideration of what the hell they were saying. True, I've got a greeting with death's scythe, though I escaped in the nick of the time with Natsume's help, of course. And the, -I winced-, talking wolf declared 'it's her' when they found me. And true, something strange is happening around Natsume, though I'm not sure what. Yes, I can read minds, which falls out of the norm. "Okay, fair enough. Something strange is going on. But I'm not convinced I'm the moon's heiress."

Koko smiled and snaked his arm around my shoulder. "Well, that's a good start." As soon as he announced it, the tension with the other four boys including Ruka has lightened up a bit.

I eyed Koko suspiciously. Speaking of which, why is he here in the first place? How does he know them? "You." I called him out. "I need _your _explanation. Who are you?"

He laughed. "Took you long enough to notice. Well, I'm one of them – the group here I mean. We are Natsume-sama's private circle –don't tell him I called him 'sama'. You can say we're kind of like his underlings, though the people inside the circle are really all friends. But those guys you see earlier fighting off those dogs were the clan's soldiers. Now, _I_ was dispatched here a few years ago to search for you, the princess."

"What? So, in short, you were deceiving me all along?" I hissed, my patience threatening to snap. If he was, why didn't I hear his mind say something about it?

"What? Good heavens, no! Of course not!" He waved his hands in front of him in denial, just like the typical Koko. "I didn't even know it was you! Well, not until Natsume transferred I mean. I was told to watch for the place since there was a possible chance of you being here, with the academy being Alice Academy and all."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "What's the school got to do with everything?"

"Huh? Of course it does! This is a branch of the England Alice Academy after all. You know, the academy where we came from? The academy for different… ehem, _races_?"

I blinked. Was there some kind of a hidden meaning with the emphasis of 'race'?

This was when Ruka stepped in, and I took it like there were some more explanations to do. "The Hyuuga clan, was, still is, and ever will be, the government of our… _world._ They were the ones who protected the previous heirs, making sure the successor won't fall to the hands of evil. It is their job to seek out the chosen one and oversee that the scale is balanced. They are the pureblood clan that Diane has chosen, and only they can protect you." Ruka paused for a while, hesitating to continue or not. But when he deemed important to say it, he did. "Well, it's because they can't betray you."

What is he talking about?

"It's their fate. Their duty, being the strongest purebloods of all. And just like the chosen one, they can't escape their fate." Koko explained, grim obvious in his voice.

There were so many things I didn't understand. They have mentioned words that seemed to hold different meanings. "Races. _Your _world. Pureblood. What the hell do those mean?"

Ruka sighed, as if too tired to even beat around the bush anymore. And so, with a straight face as he looked at me in the eye, he revealed:

"We are vampires, Sakura."

Oh, hell, no. They've got to be kidding.

This must be nightmare.

-:-

-:-

_It's good to know that someone knows you, every part of your past, and understands every crooks and cranny of your twisted personality._

_But it's even much better if there's a person who has seen that twisted dark side of your personality and yet still chose to be with you._


	7. Peaceful Night

Finally. After so much tribulations and blood shed, all of the school projects are done and winter break is up. God, so much cramming and rushing and _money spending_. Seems to me that every ending of a term, everything (projects and home works and research paper and plates!) would pile up to torture us. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A TEACHER LIKE JIN-JIN TO TORTURE YOU!

-:-

-:-

_Intuition is one of the girl's weapons. Because their instinct tells correct more often than not._

-:-

-:-

I tossed and turned around. My head is a perfect mess and my arm is numb. No pain seeped in my injured arm, and though it is a bit helping me of agony, the uneasiness I feel for _not _feeling anything is still uncomfortable over me. With another deep sigh, I let my body sprawled across my bed, not bothering even if I was only wearing a too little cloth of a nighties. Besides, I got to talk with guys with only wearing this much, what's there to be embarrassed about? There was no one inside my room in the first place.

The ceiling has gotten quite interesting to me it seems as I stared at it quite blankly for a while. Ruka and Koko walked me back to my room as silent as they could possibly get. In the way, I thought about Hotaru. Should I go tell her what happened? She is my best friend after all. Those thoughts bothered me, but in the end, I decided not to tell her. At least not yet.

So much has happened in only a few days, and I couldn't keep at it. My mind couldn't properly digest what Ruka and Koko has said, nor the fact that I just had a face-off with a talking wolf and death itself, never mind the 'history' – as what Koko has put it – they have said regarding me.

An heir of the moon, they told me. Who would believe such story? I have lived my life normally –if you disregard the fact that I can read minds– and never have I experienced something like this. I have heard of different Psycho-powers, and as such I figured maybe powers really do exist in one way or another. But never have I heard of a talking wolf, a true superman out of the movie and in realm –if adrenaline rush is exempted, and a ridiculous story of a human being inheriting the powers of the moon.

Besides, just what the hell, 'power of the moon'? How did they expect me to believe such crap?

Wolves, Moon, vampires.

Vampires. I tried to look it up in the internet earlier and I just found myths and rumours. But those are just that, _rumours. _Well, aside from a true story of a certain someone bathing in maiden's blood to keep her youth. But if that's a vampire is all about, then I could say that monstrosity really does live inside every person's heart. A monster driven by greed and desires and selfishness. If that's all there is to it, then every person has the capability of turning into a vampire!

I groaned in displeasure.

Whatever. There is just one thing I have in mind which I know is true: I got a brief greetings with father Death. Sure, they got me convinced that I am in fact, in danger, but that is only due to the encounter with the wolves as they seemed to be searching for me. My mind refused to think that they were looking for me because of the moon, my mind just won't. I found myself desperately looking for other options as to why those wolves hunted me, and the Alpha had hurt me.

But try as I might to think of a reason, there was just none. I don't know any wolves or people who breeds wolves whom I got acquainted with and I have angered accidentally or not. I couldn't think of any valid reasons at all as to why they'd attack me, except what Ruka has told me (if it is true, which I refuse to even consider.)

The existence itself of those wolves have become bleak now. As a matter of fact, when I think about the encounters now makes it feel like a distant memory. Now that I'm calm, this voice inside my head says 'impossible' over and over, making me think again if any of it really happened. Doubts have clouded my mind, but then again, I would be convinced otherwise of my injured arm. But the injury doesn't clearly support the _talking wolf._ Sure, they have attacked me, but what if they didn't really talk? What if it was all a pigment of my imagination?.

I laid there in silence as I tried to rid my mind of any thoughts.

That was when another stream of nightmare bit me. I clutched my head tight, my default reaction. "Shut up…"

With all my might, I looked up at my bedside table and lanced at the clock. 1:23 am. The hour when people usually have their greatest nightmares. Not that they could even remember it after they wake up.

_You're not wanted. Why would they give a damn when they already have their first-born son?_

_It's your fault… you shouldn't have lived._

…_your father killed her…_

…_she doesn't want you…_

…_pay for your father's sin…_

…_why did you leave me…?_

…_you're a trapped bird here…_

…_a doll…_

…_no choice…_

…_isn't right…_

…_liar…_

Different images flashed before my eyes, different sounds, different voices. And a static flowed all over me.

"Shut up… shut up. Shut up!"

Stop. I don't want this. Why me? What have I done to deserve this kind of curse…?

But no matter how much I struggle or ask or complain, there's just no taking it back since I don't even know where _this_ came from. No matter how much I cry at night, no matter how much tears have shed, I would still be me – a girl who can read minds.

I laid still, letting the pain make its way to me. Hm. It's not like I could do much anyway. So I just laid there, feeling hot streaks of wetness on my face. I stared at the ceiling blankly, and after quite some time, I found myself wondering what the hell happened as the images and sound and everything just faded into nothingness and silence.

I felt my eyebrow coiled in confusion. Why did it stop? Then, my question was answered when a voice echoed throughout my room from the balcony.

"That's quite a position for a lady." A low, husky voice. I know that voice quite well, and I couldn't believe why I even wondered why everything came to silence. Of course it's him. It can only be him.

"…What are you doing here?" I whispered against the throbbing pain of my head.

Another kind of silence answered me, and I almost would have thought he already left if not for the _silence_ he ensues with his presence. Knowing he wouldn't answer anytime soon, I figured it be best to stand up and walk to him. Not because of anything, but just for the sake of being polite. We are not that close for me to talk to him while lying on my bed. And with people not in close terms to talk like that is quite rude – my mother would tell me as a young girl.

I eyed him suspiciously when I met him face to face standing by the open door leading towards the balcony. His hair is back to normal and so are his eyes. Those charming bloody eyes has come to meet me again. I couldn't help but think how unfair it is for him to look just as beautiful whether red or golden eyes while there are so many out there who have to put in extra effort to look lovely. And he, with his unruly layered raven locks frame his face just wonderfully.

"You're back to normal." And that was all I could stupidly say when I should have reprimanded him of coming to a girl's room in the middle of the night.

He scoffed and looked away, to anywhere but me. "You don't know what is normal."

I thought about it. Oh, yeah, he's a 'vampire' isn't he. What a joke. I rolled my eyes at him, wanting to pass on the hint that I do not believe any of those nonsense his friends have said; and he looked at me with raised brows as he received and understood my hint. "Why are you here?"

He looked at me sceptically for a moment and then he let his eyes stray outside. I waited for his answer, clearly curious as to why he really is here. He wouldn't have come here without a reason, would he?

My eyes wandered out to where he was looking, searching for whatever it is that has caught his attention and made him float in immense thought. The outside remains the same as before I went out for a walk some hours earlier. It has the same beauty, an eerily beauty. And it hasn't faded one bit even after the chase of those… wolves. The beauty of the night remained even after the mysterious horror it has presented.

"…sorry." Natsume's words rang a bell inside my head, reminding me that he's still there. I might have dozed off a little bit, I thought I heard him say 'sorry'.

"What?"

He frowned, obviously annoyed to repeat his already spoken words. "I said… I'm sorry. About earlier." Every word he spoke, his voice died down, announcing his embarrassment of asking for apology.

I looked at him in amusement, wondering if this is the first time he has apologized to someone. Because clearly, he looks like he didn't know what word to use or how to construct the apology sentence. "Whatever for?"

Those crimson orbs flashed with irritation, but it was gone in a blink of my eye. Natsume leaned down on the stoned rail and secretly huffed. "…I shouldn't have lashed out on you… sorry…"

I raised my brow.

"But you're still one hell of a stupid idiot." He looked at me, his face crumpled in anger – anger that was not directed at me. "You shouldn't have stopped running. What if I was fuckin' late for even a second?"

I studied his face for a while, thinking. He wasn't mad at me, that I'm sure. And somehow, the worry evident in his eye made something in my stomach flip and bubble. Surely it's because it's the first time someone is worried about me – aside from my family and best friend. It gave me a warm feeling, and I just couldn't help but laugh.

"What're you laughing at, moron?"

My eyes twitched. "I'll let that slide for now, retard. Since I'm feeling good and all."

"You've got a bloody injured arm and you feel good. Talk about strange." I punched him playfully on the shoulder with my good arm.

"Stupid, that's not it." I frowned, but as of now, I guess nothing can keep me from being happy. A smile made its way on my face, and I did nothing to prevent it. I just stupidly smiled at him. "Thanks."

Natsume looked at me with his eyes full of wonderment. "Are you the same girl squirming in pain a little earlier?"

I frowned again. Rely on him to ruin the atmosphere. "Of course it's still me. What's wrong with being in pain earlier and be happy now?"

"Hm. Let me guess. Ah, right, because it's weird no matter who sees you switching from one mood to another. Yeah. Great."

I huffed. "Well, sorry if your presence made me happy."

"…"

My eyes widened in realization. What I said just now… it didn't sound right, did it. Somehow, somehow… it sounded like something to be embarrassed about. Like a confession or something. I shut my eyes tight, not wanting to even look at Natsume's reaction. As of now, there is nothing more I would like to happen than a hole to open up and eat me alive. Trust me to make a fool out of myself.

The silence of the night didn't really help me from repressing the thunderous noise that is my heartbeat; and I prayed he wouldn't hear.

"You can read minds, can't you?" I looked at him in surprise. Somehow, his words didn't sound like a question. It sounded like he was stating a fact. "Well, I can see the past, so it's nothing to be fretting about. And there are still more I can do."

My mind turned blank. No thoughts in process, not until a few good seconds have passed then I blurted out: "Can you see my past?"

Natsume looked thoughtfully at me, as if thinking of something. And this is one of the time when I actually wanted to know what he was thinking about. "I can't."

I raised a brow.

His eyes wandered off to the landscape again, but continued nevertheless. "For some reason, I can't see your past no matter how much I try."

I frowned. Is that a good thing or what? "How can that be?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Have you heard that a mirror or a doll can record its master's feelings? That's true, but not just them. Everything in existence has its memory. And I can see them." He looked at me again. "But not yours."

"Mine?"

"I can find out what you did and where you went to some extent because of the matter surrounding you; even your comb can give me what I want to know; but that's _its_ memory. I can't see _yours." _

So he knew that I stopped running back then through my clothes or something? That certainly is… strange. Not that I'm better off since I can read minds and all, but, still, he can see everything. "Wouldn't that be hard on you? You can see what happened in an area if you touch a grass or a tree or a desk. Doesn't that mean that wherever you go you're being drowned by a sea of past?"

He looked at me amusedly, as if I just stated something he hasn't expected to come from me. "Hm. You're partly right. But I can somehow control it to some extent so those unnecessary things would be filtered out. But a strong memory is hard to ignore, which is why you're somewhat useful."

What? "Me? How can _I _be of use?"

The guy looked away, but I still stared at him in surprise. "You keep me in check."

And that was all I needed to hear to make my hairs raise to no end. It felt like I was just shocked with a mild volts of electricity. His presence keeps me in check; mine him. Would there be any more unbelievable coincidence like this? "Well, your presence is a controlling device to me itself." I whispered, but he heard it still.

"Hn."

"Wait, you told me you can still do more." Okay, this is all curiosity now. And if you have noticed it by now, I get curious in every little thing, which is why I'm accident prone.

Natsume was silent for a while, as if weighing if he could tell me or not, but he told me anyway. "I'm a pureblood. I can make people do what I want. Every pureblood can."

My eyes widened in surprise. "So that's why Koko and Luna couldn't even retaliate when you snarled at them when you first came here!" I couldn't help but talk excitedly as the mysteries when I first met him has started to be solved; when he made Koko move and occupied the poor guy's seat, and when he hissed at Luna to back off and no touching him – which they both complied to almost instantly.

The pureblood stared at me, and I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. In times like this, I would pray that my curse works on him. But it just doesn't. I just can't read his mind. So, I asked. "What are you thinking?"

He raised a brow, questioning me silently. "Well, I've got pretty much the same effect you have with me. I can't read your mind. Not a single thing." I was shocked to hear myself talk about my ability to a stranger so casually. Hm. Maybe somewhere inside me, Natsume is not a stranger anymore. Perhaps I have come to acknowledge him as a friend. Even if he has a very disagreeable personality and bad mouth. "How the heck did you guys know about it anyway? I was pretty careful about it."

"Just as I can't see your past, somehow, I can't seem to order you around." A smirk ran across his face. "I tried to, when I asked you who you are the moment I saw you. That's something not normal. No vampire nor human can resist a pureblood's order, so I observed. And you proved to be so much more than I was expecting."

So he was observing me. For someone like him, maybe one needed to have unnaturally good acting skills to deceive him. Not that I needed that in my normal world since, well, who would wonder if a person can read minds and all?

Pureblood. He's a pureblood, and he still can't order me around despite everyone obeying his whims. "Good. I don't want to go around granting your wishes like a genie now, do I?"

Silence fell on us, but it wasn't awkward in anyway. It brought me comfort for the very first time of my nights. Images disappeared, whispers evaporated, and the pain has subsided. Who would have thought that only a piece of Natsume Hyuuga could bring me out of my horrors?

I smiled.

"Would you stay with me 'til I fall asleep?" For the very first time, I found myself asking a guy to be with me without turning beet red of embarrassment and fear. Heck, it was even the first time I asked someone a favour, aside from Hotaru. And it's to stay with me in the middle of the night until I fall to slumber; to a guy nontheless. Did I mention he's a guy?

He looked appalled. Apparently, he was not expecting what I just asked of him in the least. "…are you _that _stupid?"

My face remained impassive. "Of course not." I was shocked to hear the calmness on my voice. "Well, would you? Please? It's noisy when you're not around, and it's painful in my head."

Even though his face didn't show off any emotion, I was so sure he thought about it. I remained quiet, waiting for his answer, fearing that if I even squeak a little bit of sound, the fragile glass would break and I'd be left behind.

"…fine." He trotted back inside my room, but then halted just as fast and turned to me with a menacing glare. "But you'll wear a robe over that little-piece-of-cloth-for-a-night-gown." He said as he walked again and slumped his self on the couch, grabbed his book out of his pants' back pocket, and read.

I smiled.

Then smiles turned to laughter as I felt my insides so light and warm.

And this was how my night turned to peace.

…and the _nights_ that followed.

-:-

**End of Mikan's Point of View**

**This also ends the Volume 1**

**-:-**

I'll stop using a first person point of view now. Time to start the third person's POV to explore the other's thoughts. But I'll still stick close to Mikan as much as possible.

Hope you don't mind.

-:-

**Volume 2 Chapter 8 Sneak Peak:**

"Oi, Polka. Stop that sighing, it's getting on my nerves." He spat on the girl, making his voice venomous and then adding more venom in his glare to be more convincing.

Mikan rolled her eyes at him. She really wonders how that bloody-eyed ass can concern his self with her in so many ways. And whatever happened to their night talk last night? If she remembers correctly, she encountered a not so difficult Natsume; and now that the day is here, he's back to normal. "Oh, please, Natsume. You can stop staring if you don't want to involve yourself with me."

He scoffed. "Are you stupid? One doesn't need sight to hear your sighs, baka."

She blinked. He's got a point, not that she would say it out loud. Saying it loud would just feed Natsume's head more air and cause swelling. "Then stop pouring your attention on me." She hissed and glared back at the boy.

"Dream on, Polka."

"Dream on what? That you never poured your attention on me or dream on that you'd ever stop pouring your attention on me?"

-:-

_Intuition is one of the girl's weapons. Because their instinct tells correct more often than not._

_At least that's how it works for me._

_But HE made that weapon useless, since he would always make it clear to me what he feels. Even if he's annoyed because of work or my constant blabs (I'm not really a talker but I found myself one coz of him since he doesn't talk that much), irritated of his friends because of unnecessary physical contact with me (I'd always laugh at this), or mad at my stupidity (even though he wouldn't really hate me). Or even if it's just to simply make me feel loved._

_Hmm, no space left for hunches since he pretty much shows and tells me anything and everything._

_So, why bother to doubt when he's been purely honest?_


	8. Hotaru's a Genius

_Belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!_

_I don't know when I started to stop hoping. One day, I just realized that I wasn't expecting anything from anyone anymore. I just happened to rely on myself for everything in my life, because I knew it's the only way to avoid disappointments, betrayal, and hurt._

-:-

-:-

**Volume 2**

**Chapter 8**

It is yet another day at Alice Academy. Just as always, the sun is shining brightly, sharing its never failing warmth. People are running towards their respected classrooms, fearing the threat of the bells coming off in any minute and then be marked late; worse, their teacher probably would bite their heads off and put them in detention. They are doing their normal activities, not minding other people's businesses; in which a certain mind-reader finds unfair.

Yes, it is, at any costs, unfair. She just had the worst night ever in her entire life, which by the way earned her a limp arm, and yet here they are, oblivious to anything that happened inside the school grounds. Unfair. Why should they be exempted in her share of loads?

"Ridiculous." She huffed in her breath and put her good arm on the table as she placed her chin on her hand. The mind-reader is currently sitting on her place, waiting for the damned teacher to come. Oh, yeah, 'damned'. Whoever would be pleased if you would have a face-to-face with the worst teacher ever first thing in the morning? Jinno-sensei. Mikan wondered if the teacher is secretly pleased to have those students be scared the shit out of their lives; because she just doesn't know if a man can really stand all of those cursing behind his back. Only a sadist can enjoy hunting others, and he couldn't be one, could he? No, scratch that. He must be.

Natsume watched the golden-brown-haired girl as she suck in her breath only to give out a deep sigh. And seeing her do that particular act over and over while staring out the window is starting to annoy him. No, he is not in the least worried. Her concerns are of hers, and he hasn't got anything to do with it. It's just annoying. And later on, he would deny the fact that he was staring at the girl.

"Oi, Polka. Stop that sighing, it's getting on my nerves." He spat on the girl, making his voice venomous and then adding more venom in his glare to be more convincing.

Mikan rolled her eyes at him. She really wonders how that bloody-eyed ass can concern his self with her in so many ways. And whatever happened to their night talk last night? If she remembers correctly, she encountered a not so difficult Natsume; and now that the day is here, he's back to normal. "Oh, please, Natsume. You can stop staring if you don't want to involve yourself with me."

He scoffed. "One doesn't need sight to hear your sighs, baka."

She blinked. He's got a point, not that she would say it out loud. Saying it loud would just feed Natsume's head more air and cause swelling. "Then stop pouring your attention on me." She hissed and glared back at the boy.

"Dream on, Polka."

"Dream on what? That you never poured your attention on me or dream on that you'd ever stop pouring your attention on me?"

A whistle and a snicker broke the verbal argument between the two, revealing Koko and Ruka –Koko who just arrived and went straight to greet an "Ohayou, Mi-chan!" to Mikan, and Ruka who has been watching the scene unfold since his seat is just beside Natsume.

Ruka would never say it out loud in fear of risking Natsume's wrath, but he knew that his best friend found a source of entertainment; namely Mikan. If only the girl knew how much her presence affects Natsume, she would probably get the upper hand on their little bickerings. But then again, he would never dare to incur Natsume's wrath, so he chose to shut up.

"Ohayou, Koko." Mikan's voice is shy and unsure, which Natsume found irritating somehow. Why is she shy around Koko but straight forward when it comes to him? She should, in any prospects, be timid around his presence. He's Natsume Hyuuga for goodness' sake! But he would never voice it out. Doing so is like admitting a weakness. And Natsume never has any weakness. Never. So, he settled in leaning back against his chair and cover his crumpled face with his manga, all the while muttering something "stupid smiley" under his breath.

Koko never missed any of Natsume's antics, and by God, he would be dead if not for the pureblood's pride -pride to ever admit that he is indeed sulking. Oh, yes, he knew. Of course he knew. That's his special field, his _special gift_. As a vampire, each and one of them has a special gift. If Natsume can see the past, then he, Koko, can feel danger. It may sound trivial to anyone's ear, but he finds it vital in a battle and of course, dealing with Natsume. No. Especially dealing with Natsume. And feeling that dangerously dangerous aura Natsume's emanating just made him think that his suspicion is correct.

Fortunately, Natsume has a very big ego. He would never admit his annoyance of Koko for stealing Mikan's attention, saving the boy's poor, poor neck. _Or it might be unfortunate_, Koko mused.

"What's unfortunate?" Mikan asked, her ears perking up to Koko's sudden voice. She looked up at Koko and waited, but the guy just gaped at her. It might be her imagination but she thought she just saw Koko gone pale. Feeling that the boy wouldn't answer anytime soon, she repeated her question. "Why is Natsume unfortunate?"

Ruka watched in amusement. How stupid can Koko get to actually forget Mikan can read minds? He turned at his best friend and saw a tick in Natsume's forehead appear very, very slowly. Then, Koko being an idiot that he is, actually dared to speak up and anger Natsume more. "Why, because of his pride, of course! Since he wouldn't admit that he's sulking!" He couldn't help but face-palm his self and think: Oh, god, kill me now or better yet, kill Koko.

"Huh?" Mikan looked over at Ruka having no clue to why she could hear the two of them. Everything was silent before she heard Koko's musings inside his own head. Shouldn't her ability be on leash because of Natsume's presence? She tried to listen for a while without really using her ability, just to see what she can actually hear.

A while passed and everything is still silent.

She stole a glance at Natsume and thought, maybe, as astounding as it may seem, maybe Natsume was doing some tricks to make it happen. She didn't question the pureblood's credibility though, because of what happened so far, what could still be labelled impossible?

"I see." A dangerously low hiss made her turn to Natsume, and what she saw immediately made her heart fail its function and skip a beat. Oh dear, someone has pissed Natsume.

Koko grinned nervously as he felt his 'Natsume's-danger-radar' hit its peak. Of course he thought about it carefully before speaking out the truth. He knew of course, the consequence of his action. More or less, he'd get out with a major bruise if Natsume's in a good mood. Good thing Natsume is in a good mood, if not, then, let's say he'd be spending a month in a hospital. And if he's not a vampire with fast healing ability? Make that six months of hospital food. That is, if Natsume decides that their friendship weighs more than killing him. Or at least if the guy decides he's not worthy of killing. He knew the consequences. But then again, where's the fun if he can't make Natsume tick?

With all of his annoyance peaking its climax, Natsume glared not daggers but swords to Koko, repressing his anger with all his might. But when the fool just grinned at him, he lost all controls. In a split second of loosing his self, a small portion of Koko's sleeves caught fire.

A girly shriek echoed through out the classroom, earning each and everyone's attention.

"Put it out! Put it out! Put it out!" The plastered grin on Koko's face isn't in sight, instead, fear and panic crossed his face, and even a slight tint of amusement. He rolled and slapped and jumped, trying everything in his might to put the flames out; though he knew that nothing would make it disappear unless Natsume says so.

Satisfied with Koko's reaction, Natsume made a 'hmp' and slumped back in his seat with a closed eyes, all the while wiping out the flame devouring Koko.

Buzz of voiced concerns for Koko spread across the room, questions and inquisitions on what happened which the boy only shrugged with a 'playing with fire' excuse.

Mikan, with a wide eyes, turned and looked at Natsume in complete awe, and after a whole minute, she whispered exasperatedly; "Was that you?"

Natsume's brow raised with one eye looking directly at the girl. Surprisingly enough, when he saw pure amazement from the girl's eyes, all of his annoyance went down the drain. He didn't know why, and he couldn't care enough. The fact that his Polka was looking at him in admiration was enough to make him light headed, enough for him to let Koko live… for now. As of now, he's satisfied with capturing her attention again, because no one, and he meant no one, ever ignore Natsume Hyuuga. The next head of his clan.

He fought all of his urges to smile, but found it nearly slipping in his face. If he isn't Natsume Hyuuga, he would have let a smile grace his lips, but he fought the urge because, well, because he is Natsume Hyuuga. And Natsume Hyuuga doesn't smile. So, to hide the fact of his amusement, he made the smile into a smirk. A smug smirk. "What can I say, I am me."

The girl rolled her eyes. Whatever happened to not praising Natsume Hyuuga? But, whatever. She was amazed, and that's it. Even if producing a fire out of thin air in pure will is simply impossible and freaky, the previous events made a room for the 'impossible' in her subconscious. No, that's not it. Maybe her ability just made a space for a possibility that maybe someone out there has other abilities like her. And Natsume's not an exception.

And, somehow, she just found it amazing.

-:-

Hotaru isn't one to be taken lightly. There is a reason why she's called a genius. More importantly, she is not Mikan's childhood friend and best friend –even if she wouldn't admit it out loud- for nothing.

She watched as her not admitted best friend chomped her share of food, which is to say not safe for any girl their age watching their weight. Mikan just ate her large servings of food without a care in the world, and not too gracefully too. Bits and pieces of her own scraps scattered across her space; and if anyone looked and dared, they'd say she's a pig. Not that she would reprimand Mikan for that because she herself has got her weakness in a plate of deliciously looking any recipe made of crabs. All in all, she's not one to talk.

Amethyst eyes fell on the boys seating around the table. To Mikan's left and right were either Koko and Natsume; Ruka was seating beside Hotaru. This should be a normal thing if the boys were any other normal teenager, but no, they had to be Nogi and Hyuuga sharing tables with them; table which herself -the Ice Princess, and Mikan –the lone freaky girl, always occupies. Though Hotaru could say that she could have accepted this sharing thing.

She could have. But she found it difficult to accept; especially when the two most popular boys plus one grinning idiotic boy are chatting all too closely to her best friend.

This – she could also have taken a blind eye. But much to her surprise, Mikan, the 'secret-chatter-box-who-doesn't-like-public-attention-and-more' is talking back all too informally and casually, making all the gears inside the poor genius' head rust and creak, failing to work functionally.

There is something going on.

Even if she doesn't, wouldn't admit it, Hotaru has always been watching at the mind-reader. She would always watch her idiotic best friend with keen and observant eye, not allowing any harm nor danger appear within ten kilometre radius. Sue her for being overprotective of Mikan, but that's just the way things are especially if her best friend has an abnormal ability. And she would do this everyday and every minute of her damned short life.

This morning wasn't an exception either.

As far as she knows, it has just been a week or so after the two heart throb's arrival, and this morning, she saw how the group exchanged words. She watched as Hyuuga pester Mikan, how Koko pester Hyuuga, and how Nogi watched them amusedly. They were close in just a short span of time, they were too close. And that's not normal, not for someone like Mikan.

Unless something happened, which she bets her month's earned money that something did.

She tried calling out to Mikan using her thoughts that morning, a thing she always do, but found no response. As if Mikan couldn't hear her at all. She tried to call out again one more time, and then another 'one more' and so on, but she still got the same response. Her best friend didn't even bat an eyelash or look at her for a few second indicating that she was heard. And she concluded that something strange was happening. That –or Mikan just didn't want to raise anyone's suspicions. She settled for the latter.

Hotaru contemplated on a thousand things to happen in a week's span, and found a thousand things; but not even one to be considered as firm enough as to get the mind-reader all casual around strangers. Unless of course if Mikan got into a trouble again, knowing Mikan and all, and the boys saved her (she doesn't know how right she is). But that's just still shallow, not enough for Mikan to open up to complete strangers.

Something happened, and Mikan isn't letting her on to it just like that time when the girl was ganged up by a group of bitches. For goodness' sake, days passed back then before Mikan finally decided to tell her; and this time isn't any different either. She just wonders how long it would take before Mikan tells her.

"Aw, man! Natsume's such a party pooper!" Kokoroyome's voice boomed across her, catching her attention for a second back to reality. The raven girl grimaced as she found the voice too loud for her ears' health and instantly grabbed her invented gun (which shoots a lump of air pressure like a ball) and shoot Koko straight on the face. "Ouch! Imaaaii!" The boy wailed, clutching his sore and red face.

"Too loud, baka Yome." Hotaru spat in an all too icy voice sending shivers down Yome's spine, instantly shutting him up. Receiving the expected reaction, Hotaru turned her attention back on her crabs again to Koko's relief.

Speaking of Kokoroyome, that guy caught fire on his sleeves that morning, and she found it unusual. Who would bring a match or a lighter anyway when, according to her too capable and reliable source, none of them smokes? Weird and unusual. Besides, she was looking at them rather intently that morning without batting her eyes even a single moment. Koko was standing in front of Mikan, Mikan was sitting, behind her was Hyuuga, Nogi beside Hyuuga. It couldn't be that Mikan sent Koko on fire now, could she? She knew her much better than that.

Was Koko playing with fire inducing material then? No. He was leaning on Mikan's table on both his hands. How could the fire appear then? Hotaru didn't know. But that's not the main concern as of now (though she would still pry and investigate how the boy caught on fire simply because she can't help having an unanswered question lingering inside her head).

Tonight, she would have to talk to Mikan and ask her what on earth happened. And Hotaru wouldn't let her escape with a 'nothing' excuse. She would get her answers even through heaven and hell.

She'll make Mikan talk.

-:-

-:-

_I don't know when I started to stop hoping. One day, I just realized that I wasn't expecting anything from anyone anymore. I just happened to rely on myself for everything in my life, because I knew it's the only way to avoid disappointments, betrayal, and hurt._

_But sometimes, more often than not, when night falls, I just find myself craving for someone to rely on. Somehow, during night, I can't help but hope for someone to come and take me away. _


	9. What's With This Girl?

_In words love can be read. In action, love can be measured. But others do not know, that even in silence, love can be heard._

_-:-_

"Fine. Do what you want. I'm tired of this. I don't care anymore." Hotaru said in an uncaring and unnerving cold voice before she walked away. And it left a hole to Mikan's heart.

Mikan didn't know how it happened. One moment she was being confronted by her best friend demanding for an explanation, then next they were arguing like never before. To say that she was dumbfounded when Hotaru left just like that leaving her with cold voice was an understatement. In reality, she just wanted to run and follow her best friend and cling to her and cry and beg for forgiveness and spill everything up; because to Mikan Sakura Yukihara, her best friend in the whole wide world being mad at her is something to die for.

No exaggerations in her mind though when she says she'd die before Hotaru could ever leave her; because that very same walking block of ice had been her sole companion through her life. Hotaru had seen every part of her, being stupid or not, a freak or a normal teenage girl, and still accepted her. Oh, that would be the cause of her death alright, if not those stupid stinking wolves.

But she can never spill the beans because it isn't her secret to be sharing on about. Hotaru wanted to know what happened that made her open up to those 'strangers', which she found offending because those 'strangers' are her friends. And she told Hotaru just that. Mikan thought the issue would stop at that, but Hotaru just became even more pushy. She demanded an explanation because according to her, Mikan wouldn't open up to just anyone. And Hotaru wanted to know _why_.

Which, by the way, she answered with 'we just get along, what's wrong about it?' And Hotaru did not like that answer.

Well, what could she say? That she was attacked by a pack of wolves and Natsume and his soldiers saved her, who turned out to be a group of vampires? She doubts Hotaru would even believe that. Hotaru might even say that she was just making an excuse as to not let her in on their little secret. On the other hand, she could have just left off the crucial part like talking wolves or vampires, but one answered question would just result to another question. She knows Hotaru, and she knows how curious her best friend could get. If she said she was attacked by wolves and Natsume helped her, Hotaru would wonder why and she would look deeper into it seeing that she wouldn't believe that Hyuuga would just go saving lives like that. And she hasn't got any answer for that.

Mikan sighed as she lied down her bed. She even tried her best to move her injured arm normally throughout the day so Hotaru wouldn't be suspicious, but even without that blasted sling to support her arm, Hotaru still noticed that something happened; and through her conversations with the guys on top of that. Who knew Hotaru knew her that well.

A smile crept up her face. Just the thought of a worried sick Hotaru made her heart flip and jump with joy. She knew it. Hotaru really loves her despite the cold acts. But that smile has faded in an instant. She got into a fight with Hotaru and it isn't something to smile about.

Quickly, Mikan stood up and headed towards the place her heart rests well – the lake.

Upon arrival, she couldn't help but see a slump of body sprawled on the ground under _that_ particular Sakura Tree. She knew that silhouette very well, and before she knew it, her feet was already dragging her to that boy and sat down beside him.

Natsume frowned when he felt a familiar presence arrived. And the frown just deepened more when he felt that presence sat beside him. Too bad she didn't see because of the manga smothering his face. Oh, he knew it was a 'she'. There's only one person with that effect on him, and there's just one person who would even dare to go and sit beside him: the stupid Mind Reader.

It was quiet for quite some time, which Natsume found unusual and rather… _disturbing_. It was already disturbing enough when Mikan wouldn't shut up and just talk on and on about anything to the point where it annoyed him, but her being quiet and all was even more so.

He wanted to ask what the problem is, of course. But he won't. Not until he's Natsume Hyuuga. And that would be _never_. Unless a series of event takes place and revealed that he was actually not himself, which is highly impossible.

A couple more minutes and Natsume felt beaten. Mikan wasn't making any sounds, she wasn't even moving! The gloomy cloud hanging around them was annoying, and the inaudible sighs were starting to piss him off. Feeling the loss, Natsume removed the manga on his face and sat up. "Oi. What's your problem?"

The girl whom he was annoyed the most looked up at him blankly and stared. That blank look on her face was actually kind of creepy, to Natsume's admittance. If he could choose, a stupidly smiling Polka is much better than this blank one. "Oi."

He watched as different flick of emotions flashed across her face. First was pure blank, and then her face crumpled into that of a confused one, then thoughtful, and then moping. It was amusing how so much appears in one's face in a little over a second. But his amusement went down the drain when Mikan started to shed tears, and then turned to outright cry. "Uu~ waaah~! Uuuu… -hic-"

"Wha -? Oi! Stop! Wait! No, no, don't, don't cry!" Of course, he didn't know what to do. What would anyone expect of him? He's Natsume Hyuuga, he makes people cry and not hush them to comfort when crying. Natsume didn't know whether to touch her or not, his hands reaching out to her; but he settled not to touch her, fearing she might break. "Sssh! Wait! Wha -?" No matter what he stuttered to say, Mikan just cried. Cried like a lost child. Her voice echoing, slapping each and every corner of his soul he thought he'd lost already.

Before he knew it, his hands did what it thought was best – he pulled the little girl's head and buried her face to his chest, doing all he can to comfort her any way possible. And attempt to shut her up, though it failed miserably.

It was the first time Natsume hugged a girl aside from his little sister Aoi who is just a twelve-year-old kid at the moment. And this is awkward to say the least. She's so soft, like a bunch of clouds. Aoi was also soft but in a different way, as if the little sister had more bones and edges than this girl.

Mikan's warmth sipped through his clothes and on to his skin, sending little pricks of electricity crawl all over him; making his body hot all over and his heart beat wild. His sister was also warm, but it never sent his body hot nor his heart race. They are both girls, but what's the difference? Why is he having such a reaction towards Mikan when he also hugged Aoi the same way?

He felt a tug to his shirt and watched as Mikan clutched on to him helplessly. She continued to cry even more, pouring her heart out. Her face was flushed with a deep hue of pink, crumpled in a pained expression. Tears ran down uncontrollably from her puffy eyes like a kid. Seeing her like that, Natsume felt something inside of him twist.

It took a while before Mikan finally settled down. "…sorry. Sorry…"

"Tch. Just tell me what your problem is and quit it with the depressing cloud!"

Mikan looked at him for a second, thoughtful, before curling herself into a ball and bury her face on her knees. She actually has no idea what came to her and cried like that the moment Natsume asked what her problem is. At first she was shocked, how could Natsume know that something was wrong? Then she got confused, why does he care anyway? After that, she contemplated on what to say to him, which lead her back to her and Hotaru's fight. And finally, she just cried.

The raven boy watched as the girl in front of him got lost in the immense thought, and he couldn't help but feel annoyed. It's rare for him to actually give a damn enough to ask a person 'what's wrong', but this girl just wouldn't answer and he can't have that. Because whatever he wants, he gets. And its rare for him to want for anything. He was on his patience end, but before he could speak, Mikan beat him to it.

"I got into a fight… with Hotaru." She added the last part as if to justify why a fight would send her to tears.

Shocked. Disbelief. Natsume can't help but feel those and he stared at her with a pissed off face and a twitching eye. It took him all of sheer power not to bump his head against the tree he was leaning on. How shallow can this girl get? It was just a fight! "Fuck. That's stupid." He hissed.

"No! You don't understand!" Mikan shot her head up as she automatically answered with a tone of defense in her voice. "It's because…"

Natsume raised a brow.

"Because… because… she, she wanted to know what happened that made me befriends with you guys. Hotaru knows everything about me, including the ability. Of course, she also knows that because of that very same ability, I don't make friends, I'm wary of people. That's why she was surprised to see me off-guard with you guys…"

"You could have told her or you could just lie." Natsume shrugged.

"Stupid! Do you think that's easy? I can't! Hotaru's a genius, and she knows me. She can tell whether I'm lying or not. And it's not like I can tell her the truth either, she'll question your identity. Seeing that any explanations about last night would lead to her knowing your identity, I chose to not tell anything. And she got mad." Mikan couldn't help but sigh. Talking about it out loud, she noticed how stupid it sounds even to her ears. But she can't help it. She's stupid that way.

Natsume looked at the girl. He was confused, but his mind refused to process what he just heard. If he deduced it right, this girl, Mikan, just had a fight with her life time best friend because she wouldn't tell her that they were vampires?

It was awkward, at least to Natsume. It's a first that he heard something like that, first time someone tried to hide their identity. Of course, it's his pride to be a vampire, though he admits it would be such a disaster and chaos for the whole society to know that a living vampire exists in the world. Even though he's such a jerk and an ass at times, he admits that what Mikan did was on favour of his race. Though the price cost her of her friendship.

In a situation like this, he really doesn't know what to say. Should he tell her 'that was good riddance' or 'go on and tell her'?

He's ashamed. Being a burden like this on someone is a big blow to his pride, and he doesn't like it. But even if he want to sate his pride by saying 'go on', he has a duty and responsibility to uphold. As the next clan head, he must always put the responsibilities first before his own pride; and at the most crucial times, he can almost do that. Yet now, he found his self considering the exposition of their existence to the whole world just because one girl was crying in front of him mere seconds ago; how pathetic can he get?

The raven looked at the sky, accepting the light of the setting sun to his eyes though a little painful. He never liked the sun, no vampire ever did. Though it was a petty rumour made of humans that vampires turn to dust when the sun is up, the blinding light still has its varying effect depending on the vampire. Some of those low levels have their low level strength reduced to half, making them even weaker and useless to battle – these are the commoners. Soldiers, however, only gets affected by Millicent, reducing a fourths of their strength, nothing big to be a threat. With someone like him, of course, the mere effect of something like blinding light of the sun is him being sleepy.

Morning is his night, and night is his morning. No, he isn't weakened by such trivial thing as this.

"Explain to her." Before he knew it, those words has already escaped his mouth. Natsume didn't even know where it came from, but he just said it without even thinking. A very irresponsible thing to do.

Mikan rolled her eyes. "I will, but I won't tell her about you. She's my best friend, and if I explain enough to her, she'd understand."

"Then what are you still doing out here?"

"Baka. You don't know how scary a mad Hotaru is. I'll give her some more time to let her think through."

"Fine. Give her some time. Now, can you please go now?"

The girl snapped. How can this guy be so gentle and kind one moment and a jerky ass the next? "No. I'll sleep here, thank you." And to annoy Natsume more, she let her head rest on Natsume's lap as she laid down.

Million volts ran through Natsume's spine, though his poker face never slipped. Why is this girl so careless? Didn't she know that he's a vampire? He can kill her on a snap! So, why does she still act so carefree around him? Besides, he's a guy! And though he's a hundred and twenty years old now, he's still a young and healthy vampire with a raging hormones (though he has never really felt any sexual attraction to anyone ever). So, why?

He cursed inside his head nth times in ten different languages, focusing his attention on anger.

"Get up." He hissed dangerously, but got no answer. "I said, get up!" He tried again as he added more venom in his voice, but still no answer.

He leaned on over to the girl to see her face, and much to his surprise, she has already snored herself to sleep. "Fuck!"

The boy didn't know why, he could have just stood up and let the girl's head fall hard on the ground and leave, but he didn't. And as he said, he didn't know why. Without any other idea what to do, he just leaned back to the tree trunk and with another sigh, let sleep come to him.

-:-

Ruka sat at the farthest corner of the library, making sure nobody could see him. If those fan girls spotted him, well, he can just tell that hell would break loose. He never wanted to have fan girls, never really. He just wanted to have a normal vampire life, serving Natsume as the right-hand man, but why, oh why, did he have to have freaky fan girls here in Japan and even back then to Europe?

All reason to admire Natsume –that, he could see; but him? He's just an average vampire. Okay, maybe he's not an average vampire seeing that only the head of the Nogi clan can be the right-hand man of the head of the Hyuuga clan, but still, he finds his self so average he almost want to puke whenever standing beside Natsume.

He's got no outstanding power, he can just communicate and control animals at will, and he's still training to control werewolves. Nothing special. He can't produce fire out of nowhere. He can't control people. He can't see the past. He's boringly normal.

Cerulean eyes and blonde hair, that's pretty normal for French people. And to where they came from, people can see those traits almost every day. So why, pray tell, do those girls still hunt him down?

A deep sigh escaped his lips as he dropped the opened book he was attempting to read. Speaking of those morbid fan girls, he's still not satisfied. He's far from satisfied actually. He's confused.

While those fan girls ogle him from afar because of who knows what, it seems that his 'charm' whatever that may be do not affect this certain raven hair and amethyst eye girl. He has already tried talking to her several occasions now, but still no luck. The girl wouldn't even see him as equals – no acknowledgements whatsoever. And its making him insane.

Though, he can proudly say, that his girl isn't that of any other girl. She doesn't swoon, she doesn't ogle, and she doesn't squeal. Heh. Oh, she's a genius by the way. And those eyes, those eyes so cold yet it penetrates his soul deep and naked. She's beautiful. And even if the title Ice Princess is always and ever will be attached to the name Hotaru Imai, he would still gladly choose her; that title wouldn't complete the girl if lost, and it wouldn't be Hotaru Imai the girl he likes.

Ruka almost jumped off his seat when the girl of his affection emerged from the bookshelf in front of his table. Cerulean eyes stuck on her as she walked her gracious way to the next table beside him and sat down with a sigh.

That snapped the boy from day dreaming.

Hotaru just sighed, and that's not a good omen.

He watched the genius stare off to space, and he doesn't know whether it's his imagination or not, but it looked like the girl has something going on inside her mind. Ruka hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should attempt to coax her or something. Well, they are sort of friends through Mikan. Right?

_Yeah, whatever. Nice excuse, Ruka. She doesn't need you and you know it._

Another sigh from the girl and Ruka lost it. He opened his eyes and the next thing he knew, he was standing in front of the girl.

_Gah! Ruka! What are you doing?_

"Can… can I sit with you?" _No! I'm going to die of embarrassment!_

Hotaru looked up to see the blond boy, Hyuuga's best friend, Nogi Ruka. If she was in any other mood aside from depression and anger, she might have gone and took out her camera to snap away this pretty boy's face. But she's not in the mood. Actually, she's far from it, and this blond, for whatever reason she doesn't care, is just making her more antsy. "What do you want?" She irritated-ly asked, though her face remains as stoic as ever.

"Um… um, can I, can I sit? With… you?" _Pathetic! Ruka, you're digging your own grave!_

The raven girl sighed. She's not in the mood to talk to anyone, but she's also not in the mood to kill right now, "Whatever."

Ruka's face brightened in an instant and with a foolish grin, he sat one seat away from the girl.

Ruka sighed. It has been an hour already and Hotaru still ignores him. He attempted to try and talk to her the first few minutes, but seeing she wasn't even batting an eyelash to his direction or to whatever he was saying, he just gave up. Maybe she just doesn't want to talk right now.

He took a sideway glance to the girl and saw her staring blankly on an open book.

Really, whatever is eating the her must be one good problem. And whatever that problem is, he knows he's not the one to talk to about it. She's got Mikan, her best friend to talk to. And they're even barely friends!

"Do you…"

Ruka snapped his head to the girl immediately. She just talked, right? It was barely a whisper, but he heard it fine. He looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Do you know everything about Hyuuga?" There! She talked again, but, what about Natsume?

He looked at her, speculating, calculating whether this is some serious talk. But he's talking to Hotaru right now, would she joke about anything? No. Of course not. He may have been here for just a short while, but at least that's enough to know that this girl here isn't like any other girl. Ruka took a deep breath before answering, "Of course not."

Hotaru looked at Nogi, wondering if she heard it right. Nogi and Hyuuga are best friends, right? So why wouldn't he know everything there is to know about his own best friend? As if hearing her thoughts, Ruka continued. "There are things that are better off unknown. He has his secrets, and I have mine."

Ruka felt naked under those amethyst eyes, and he secretly gulped. "Why?" She asked. "Wouldn't you want to know?"

"Of course I do. He's my best friend, and I'm his. It's just that," He looked away. "I'm his best friend. If there is anyone out there whom he'd talk to, that would be me. But if he doesn't want to talk about it, I've got no choice but to trust and wait. In time, whenever he's ready, he would talk to me about it. We're best of friends, and that's the very same reason why I don't demand things on him."

As he explained the best of friends relationship with him and Natsume, he thought he just achieved Enlightenment. Ah, that must be it, he thought. She must have some problems with Mikan. Ruka almost laughed. Really, this girl. She's a genius alright, but she's a total novice when it comes to people's relationship.

Hotaru looked back to her opened book. That's right. She's Mikan's best friend, no doubt about that; and for sure, one day when she's ready, she'd talk to her about what she wants to know. Maybe she's not really mad at Mikan for keeping secrets, perhaps she's just jealous seeing her off and happy with other set of friends.

She looked at him once again and wondered, why did she ask him about that? It's not like they're friends or anything, so why? "You better not tell this to anyone."

Ruka laughed nervously as he scratched his cheek. "Talk about what?"

Hotaru 'humphed' and looked back to the book again.

But that's where it all started.

In the silence of the evening, the emergency ring echoed throughout the whole academy, sending panic to all of its accommodators.

"What's happening?" Ruka and Hotaru ran out of the library to see a mass of screaming and running people.

"Fire! There's fire everywhere!" One of those running students screamed his lungs out.

Ruka's face instantly paled, his heart thumped out of its ribcage. _This can't be! Are we under attack?_ So many innocent people, just to drive them out?

"Natsume!" "Mikan!"

The both of them gasped their best friend's name out loud in the dawn of realization. Their best friends need them! Bearing the thought of needing to be beside their best friend's side as soon as possible, they ran out the building to find the person they need to protect.

-:-

-:-

_Back to school already?_

_**Lemme give you a teeny bit of a sneak peak on chapter 10:**_

"_Oh, shit." Ruka heard himself uncharacteristically cursed softly when he saw that huge oaf of a wolf hovering a dumbstruck yet still cool Hotaru Imai._

_It had been too quick, everything happened in an instant. When he saw the wolf about to attack Hotaru, he found his self damning all rules as he quickly, with unhumane speed, jumped in front of the girl, snarled his fangs out, activated his special ability of controlling animals, and ripped the wolf's throat out of its place._

…

_It isn't just a mere crush for the seemingly apathetic girl and it certainly isn't some foolishness like love at first sight. No, he's not in love. At least that's what he believes. He's just merely… attached, for some reason that even he doesn't seem to know or understand. It's instincts, he presume. It's in his blood. Something like an invisible force pulling him towards her._

_Throughout the time he's here, he would always find his self looking at that deep amethyst eyes. He'd recognize her smell anywhere from a miles away. He'd know it's her by just her hair. He didn't understand why, and he's not going to start divulging the reason any time soon either. But he knows, he knows that in time, this sort of attachment would grow to something more._


	10. Monster

_It hurts, it hurts so much that I want to forget. I really do…_

-:-

His heart thumps wildly against his chest. This can't be happening, he could just not believe that any of this is happening. Are their enemies that heartless enough for them to expose the secret society to the humans and involve them in their world's war? So many innocent people caught in the crossfire.

Ruka clenched his teeth tightly as he ran across the field to find his best friend. Natsume must know what's happening right at this moment; he wouldn't be the next clan head for nothing. But anyway, what are the soldiers doing? They were supposed to guard the whole proximity and report anything suspicious directly to him, Natsume's right hand. Still, someone managed to penetrate their defense? Ridiculous!

If the humans caught sight or knowledge of something they're not supposed to know, their existence for example, they would have to erase each and every student's memory! Not to mention they only have one with that kind of ability in their circle versus the thousands numbers of people inside the academy grounds! With every thought and possibilities running through his mind, Ruka can't help but feel the rage inside of him spread through the course of his body.

He's a calm person in nature, but when push comes to shove, he very well cannot resist the emotions inside.

Ruka looked behind him through the corner of his eyes and saw that calm beauty running closely with him. Damn. If Hotaru Imai comes across their secret, would they have to erase all of her memory regarding them? Even when they first met, their first conversation, and their talk in the library? Ruka closed his eyes.

_Damn._

"WATCH OUT!" A girly scream brought him on his right mind, but when he was about to look out for something to be cautious about, he felt a huge and powerful pressure in his gut and sent him flying.

"Ugh…" He groaned as his left hand clutched his sides. He quickly looked up to have a look at his attacker, making no time to revel on his pain. "Oh, shit." Ruka heard himself uncharacteristically cursed softly when he saw that huge oaf of a wolf hovering a dumbstruck yet still cool Hotaru Imai.

It had been too quick, everything happened in an instant. When he saw the wolf about to attack Hotaru, he found his self damning all rules as he quickly, with unhumane speed, jumped in front of the girl, snarled his fangs out, activated his special ability of controlling animals, and ripped the wolf's throat out of its place.

Everything happened in a blink. He really didn't think of anything, it was mere drive of wanting to protect that made him lash out without proper logic. Now that he's still gasping in some air but already calm nonetheless, and seeing the girl look at him with that stoic face but slightly crumpled eyebrows as if questioning him, he immediately reprimanded himself.

No, he isn't regretting saving her life, far from that actually. What he's afraid of now is her reaction to the monstrous behaviour he did and the possibility of having her memories wiped out.

It isn't just a mere crush for the seemingly apathetic girl and it certainly isn't some foolishness like love at first sight. No, he's not in love. At least that's what he believes. He's just merely… attached, for some reason that even he doesn't seem to know or understand. It's instincts, he presume. It's in his blood. Something like an invisible force pulling him towards her.

Throughout the time he's here, he would always find his self looking at that deep amethyst eyes. He'd recognize her smell anywhere from a miles away. He'd know it's her by just her hair. He didn't understand why, and he's not going to start divulging the reason any time soon either. But he knows, he knows that in time, this sort of attachment would grow to something more.

It's just the same as how Natsume seems to be attached to Mikan. It's all instinct. But one day, he's sure it would turn out to be something like his mom and dad, or any other mates for the matter. Even if he doesn't know why, he's sure that he's looking at the very girl possibly to be his partner. Though he isn't sure if that possibility would spare her of erasing her memories because as he stands in her life now, there seems to be so little chance for him to score.

Oh, the frustration.

"What in the world was that?" Hotaru's small but firm voice snapped him out of his daze.

Of course, he didn't know what to answer. He's not in the liberty to tell any information. Should he make her sleep? Heh. That would make her hate him for the rest of her life, would it? But it doesn't matter, once this chaos finished, he doubts she'll remember anything anyway. Well, he can always hunt her down in the future. Maybe to woo her or something, just to make her stay by him. _Maybe her subconscious would remember though, and make her hate me in an instant when I approach her in the future even if she doesn't recognize me._

"There are still many of them out there." It wasn't a question, it was a statement, which is why Ruka was so shocked. "Come on, get me to my lab. I know we'll be there in a second with your speed."

Ruka looked at Hotaru dumbfounded. "Uh… em… it's, uh, the school is on… fire."

The girl scoffed at him visibly and pasted a smug look on her face before swinging her nose up high. "Humph. My lab would be the last thing on earth fire would ever consume."

Still confused and lost and not knowing what to do, the boy simply nodded.

-:-

"Woah!" Ruka almost choke on his own saliva when another wolf was sent flying a good distance away before it even got a meter close to them. He's currently running about, trying to find his way back to Natsume with Hotaru riding his back.

They just went off from Hotaru's lab, which was surprisingly unscarred with any sign of fire or trouble. She was right, that place would be the last place fire would ever set its foot on. Heck, that must be the safest place on this school if ever war breaks out. The wonders of a genius, really.

Once they were there, Hotaru rummaged from tons and mountains of her inventions as she grabbed the largest bazooka she has ever made. 'For those damn dogs' she said; and now he knows what it does.

They even went to Mikan's room after that, only to find the girl not there. Which by the way, made a certain genius explode with anger, setting a lot of furniture whirl and break from her bazooka. He didn't know what to say to coax her, because she wouldn't listen at all. She just threatened and cursed the wind under her breath and glared holes, refusing to move an inch while the world around them were blazing mad. Good thing she snapped out of her anger when he shouted 'Natsume! She's probably with Natsume!' Truthfully, he didn't know how that convinced Hotaru to rush out to find the guy. Was Natsume's and Mikan's friendship that obvious that even Hotaru noticed it?

Or maybe it wasn't really impossible for Hotaru to notice. She's Mikan's best friend after all. But still, he sure hoped it would take more time for her to notice all the changes.

"Damn pests. Good thing I'm a genius." He heard her mutter under her breath as she aimed the pressure-firing bazooka on another target and sent it flying.

Ruka nervously laughed. Seriously, who would ever want to crossfire with Hotaru Imai? Certainly not him.

When a flock of unruly raven locks flashed some distance before him, he immediately rushed towards it, knowing full well who that is. When they were a good few feet apart, he felt the girl behind him clutched on him a little tighter. _She must have noticed Mikan._

He turned his gaze back to his leader, this time taking notice of the golden brown haired girl standing close behind. Inwardly, Ruka couldn't really believe his theory that the two might be together but here they are, standing close by each other. He's got two pretty convincing reasons behind his mind: either it's all because of Natsume's responsibility to take care of Mikan as a guard for the Princess, or it's about _another whole different story._ Which part is weighing more, that, he's not sure of.

Hotaru wriggled out of his back even before they have safely landed and ran her way to the Princess. "Mikan!"

Mikan looked at where that familiar voice came from and the sight of Hotaru running to her made her eyes sting with unshed tears. "Hotaru~!" She instantly cried as she flung herself to her best friend. "Thank goodness, you're, you're okay!" Mikan can't help a bucket of relief wash over her when she saw her best friend standing on her own two feet unharmed and certainly still cool.

"Idiot." Hotaru mumbled quietly on Mikan's ears as her hand absentmindedly stroke the crying girl's back to soothe her down. "I was worried about you. Good thing you're not inside."

Hotaru felt Mikan nod against her. "I was with Natsume." Came the point blank and innocent reply. If only she knows what those words carry, she would definitely consider saying that out loud ever again, Hotaru mused.

The genius sighed. "What were you doing out with him?"

"I… I was… I was crying… because you were mad."

Thin line of an eyebrow raised on Hotaru's forehead. She was crying? To him? Really? Now that's news.

Ruka walked to Natsume after having seeing enough of the cuddling best friends in front of him. "Natsume." He was met with a pair of golden eyes, and there and then, he knew he was talking to Natsume as the leader and not his best friend. This instantly made Ruka tense up and all formal. Before proceeding to report his misgivings earlier, he first bowed to the young prince. "As you may have guessed, she witnessed and even partaken in the fight. But I haven't said any information out. I have already analyzed my options and I think it's best –"

"Enough."

And just like that, Ruka fell silent.

Mikan watched behind her blurring vision the silent and too formal of an exchange between the two male, and before she got to question them on what was happening, she felt the thump of the ground as another four people arrived to join them. She can only remember them from the last time she was in Natsume's room. They're part of his circle, she thought, Natsume's guards or something.

"Kokoroyome, what exactly happened?" she heard Natsume's husked but firm voice –displeasure and annoyance and threatening danger obvious in his voice and the way he talks. Just one question, just one sentence and her body went all rigid and stiff. She even saw how the others visibly tensed –even Ruka, the almighty best friend.

Mikan wasn't quite sure how or what to react seeing Koko in such a serious face, but given the situation, she thought maybe even Koko has some kind of seriousness when needed. Right, they were about to discuss about what happened just before Hotaru and Ruka came.

Koko tensed up even more. "Your Highness, as you have instructed, I have been on constant patrol to check with impending danger. I would check up on the academy's proximity every ten minutes, and everything was fine until ten minutes ago. The warnings went so suddenly, we were caught off-guard. It's out of nothingness, Your Highness. And the danger did not appear from outside the grounds, it's from inside the academy itself."

Natsume narrowed his eyes dangerously at the said report, clearly, there was something he did not like. If it's about being caught-off guard or about an inside job which made his mood worse, Mikan wasn't sure. But she knew alright that someone, an enemy, is so close to them.

"Yuu," the leader called out to another blonde just like Ruka, except his hair was shorter. "Go around and start your role. The fire is receding, you can go now to see everyone. Don't miss a single soul." He called out before 'Yuu' disappeared from her sight.

Natsume caught sight of Mikan's confused gaze, and as she's the one they're protecting, he thought it's a must to explain things to her. He rubbed his temple and sighed, "He's got the illusion gift. He can manipulate the brain waves of people, sending false images on their mind. He's the one who takes care of erasing memories." Then, he abruptly turned to the rest of his circle members. "Mochiage, Kitsumene, Kokoroyome, gather the entire troop and circle the grounds. Make sure everything is cleaned up with unnecessary… _dogs._"

"As for you, Ruka." Natsume finally called out his best friend and right hand man immediately after the three left. "You very well know what you did, and I trust you know what needs to be done."

Ruka closed his eyes. Of course he knows. He has already contemplated on it.

Then, just as the genius that she is, Hotaru jumped in between. "I'm not having my memory erased."

Natsume's golden eyes flashed in anger, making everyone cringe. Even Hotaru, though she's not one to back down. "She's my best friend, and I'm not going to put up on anything that will endanger her life." She continues casually, so casual it scared Mikan. "I saw what happened earlier, and I pretty much know what they are, or what _you_ are. You've got golden eyes, impossible strength and speed. I'm not surprised, I have an abnormal girl for a best friend. And I'm telling you again, I won't have my memories erased."

The golden eyes stared intently at Hotaru, scrutinizing, calculating everything she has said. "I don't need your permission. I can make you."

"No!" Mikan cried out. She immediately went to Natsume, her head raised up in attempt to look him in the eyes. Her heart thumps loud in her chest, realizing that Natsume has that kind of ability. He can very well make anyone do anything on his command. "Please, please, Natsume…"

He looked down at her with those cold eyes which turn gold if he unleashes his restrictions. She's crying again, he thought. In front of him no less. And she's begging him not to make her best friend forget. "Please…" He heard her say again. Somewhere inside him, he felt something twist making him a little uncomfortable. He didn't know why, but it struck him the same time she pleaded coincidentally.

Her hands are fisted on his chest, her eyes full of tears looking up at him. Then, much to his annoyance, she lowered her head and hid it on his chest. _Really, what's with this girl being so comfy?_

With a frustrated sigh and a defeated frown on his face, he pushed her lightly away from him. "I'll think about it."

Mikan shot her head up. Did she hear it right? He's going to think about it? It may not be the answer she wanted to hear, but this would do for now. If only it would delay having her forget this night. She can't go on through this without her best friend, she needs Hotaru. She needs her best friend to rely on.

Slowly but surely, she found herself walking towards her best friend as she clings to the genius's free arm.

She watched with her own two eyes as fire ate away the woods and foundations of every building. And she also watched as firemen bombed it away with water albeit unsuccessful. The ambulances have scattered and medics are treating those wounded. So much casualties, so many wounded and she couldn't do anything about it. Where are the police anyway? As if answering her unspoken question, sounds of siren echoed near the academy grounds. _Why do they always come when it's already finished?_

Then a debris caught on fire fell down followed by an agonizing shriek.

Her heart thumped painfully against her chest when she heard it. It's not fair, it's so not fair. Why do these innocent people have to suffer just because of some fictional war they don't even know exists?

So many are crying, so many are hurt, their school is burning down. What did they do to deserve this kind of barbaric treatment? All of the students here doesn't even know what hit them.

Her nose scrunched with the smell of smoke and burning plastics and things.

_Why?_

She asked herself over and over, still she got no answer.

Don't those guys care when someone dies because of them?

Inhumane.

Unfair.

_Scary…_

Her hand shot up on her head when she started to feel pain struck her, threatening to split her head into millions of pieces. It felt like someone's chopping her head on a chopping board, and heck it didn't feel any good. She saw black and white spots in her vision, and suddenly, it all went blank.

Hotaru almost toppled down when she felt a dead weight crashed against her, and when she found the reason why, her hands automatically went to catch her best friend. "Mikan!"

Yuu Tobita and Kokoroyome suddenly stopped reporting, their faces distorted to that of shock and concern. Their eyes widened in surprise, and Koko seems to be struggling with staying still. Confused and curious as to why his two men acted that way, he followed their gazes in time to see Ruka running immediately. He furrowed his brows, clearly wanting to know what was happening.

When Ruka stopped and crouched to the ground, he immediately saw Imai who was also in the same position. Imai's face was crumpled in unreadable expression, and when his gaze went down further, it was then that he noticed a slumped body pressed against the girl.

"What's wrong?" He saw Koko stepped forward, his inner battle seemingly finished.

Natsume, the great Natsume Hyuuga watched with horror as the scene unfold right before his very eyes. And that's all he did –watched. No. That's all he could do. He was firm rooted on the ground, insides protesting because of something.

_Pathetic._

Gush of wind and sudden flash in the skies shook Natsume out of his trance. _Rain? But there wasn't any trace of bad weather toda –_

Sudden realization hit Natsume hard and he snapped his head back to the burning academy. Just as he suspected, water immediately drowned out the wildness of that burning fire. _This can't be. _He shook his head.

He vaguely remembered that time when he set Koko's sleeve on fire. That day, he tried to suppress his presence as much as possible, repressing back his powers until he could; and the most interesting thing happened: a certain brat has read Koko and Ruka's mind. He then concluded that maybe Mikan's ability was being interrupted because of his own aura.

But why is he remembering that anyway?

_She's really full of surprises…_

He brought his eyes back to the slumped Princess on the ground, the medics trying to carefully move her on a stretcher. "Natsume, are you okay?" A hand hesitantly tapped him from behind. It was Yuu; and he seemed to be worried.

The illusionist watched as Natsume closed his eyes and his hair returned to its original length. When the leader looked at him again, he wasn't greeted with that cat-like golden eyes anymore. Instead, he was greeted by a blazing gaze of bloody crimson. "Yeah." He heard him say.

Natsume looked at what remained of their academy. Then he mentally added,

_I just found another one of her surprises, that's all._

-:-

_-:-_

_It hurts, it hurts so much that I want to forget. I really do… But why do I have a part of me that's so afraid to let go?_

Dammit, we're already starting with the thesis. God, I'd be busy for sure with no time for relaxing.

So, let me tell you in advance that I might not be able to update fast.

Sorry. But please understand, I'm a graduating college student.

Anyway, here's a treat:

**Ch. 11 preview**

"_I'm not a monster?" _He heard his leader's thunderous voice, noticing the tint of amusement in his tone.

"_I'm a vampire, human._" Natsume walked to the girl, gripping her in the neck and threw her back on the bed. _"I'm a walker of the night, a creature all fears." _He said as he walked towards the bed, moving over so he could straddle her by the hips. He leaned down, his face on her shoulder, his lips almost brushing her ears; and then he whispered. _"I drink people's blood to live. I use my power to entrance them, so I could devour their necks. I corner them, giving no room for escape. And slowly, I sink my fangs on that flesh, tasting that crimson liquid." _He chuckled as he watched her tremble.

"_I can snap your neck in an instant without any effort, killing you immediately you won't even feel pain. You can hide, but I'll find you; I know your scent from a mile. You cannot even run, because I'll catch you. I can slaughter each and everyone in this godforsaken academy and no one would ever know it's me. Heh, I can even make it look like an accident and no one will question further. Now, tell me again that I'm no monster." _He laughed again when she was frozen.


	11. Are You Sure?

**A/N:**

Seems like some people got confused with the last part of the last chapter.

Natsume watched as Mikan fell not because he didn't care but because that was all he _could_ do. You know the feeling of being planted on the ground while something is happening? This usually happens in car accidents I think. Well, that's that. He couldn't move and so he just watched. And the 'pathetic' part he said was referring to him not able to help her.

Koko! Koko hesitated to dash to Mikan immediately as soon as he saw her fall because he was still reporting to Natsume, mind you, _reporting_ not just talking. And when someone is in front of his authoritative figure, it's common sense to not run off. Right? So when Natsume turned his back on him, he immediately grabbed that chance to run to Mikan.

Now, I think other questions will be answered in the next chapter.

And there are still a lot of surprises. The other characters are still not on the story, and I'm planning on letting in the whole cast. (hopefully)

Anyway, here's it!

-:-

-:-

"_We meet. We fall in love. And then we part again afterwards."_

_-:-_

_-:-_

Screams.

Smell of burning.

Wounds.

Blood.

Tears…

Everything was ruined in just one night. Everything they thought they have, would stand and would ever be; collapsed easily in an unprecedented attack. Why were they attacked? She doesn't know. She honestly doesn't know. Or does she? Can she honestly say she doesn't know _why?_

Because a part of her, a big part of her however she might deny, tells her it's all her fault. Somewhere inside her knows that it was, _is _ her that they want.

Why would they want her? She's no one special, she's just an average seventeen year-old girl.

_Lies…_

She very well know _why_ they want her. It has been explained.

_But I refused to believe…_

Yes. She didn't want to believe because she didn't –doesn't- understand. All of those stupid nonsense of a story about her supposing to be the inheritor of the moon's power are just so stupid. Sure, she can say she honestly believes about the _other race_, but that doesn't mean she's one special girl, blessed by the love of the moon. It's just absurd, because however she look at herself, she can't seem to find something to be worth noticing.

There is nothing about her that is special. Except perhaps her ability to read minds. But that doesn't mean that she's what they were saying that she is, does it? Not just because they told her meant it's true.

But if they believe that she's the one, isn't it possible that the other side of the war also believes she is the one?

_Even though I'm not, damnit._

Not because they believe it's her doesn't mean it's really her. For all she knows, someone out there must be the real inheritor. There's just so few of proof to make her believe.

Anyway, even if she refuses to believe everything they have said, it's no denying that their school was burned down. And if _they_ believe that it's her that they're looking for, that means it's her fault those innocent people got injured.

Mikan slowly opened her eyes and take notice of her surroundings. They were in a room, and if her memory is right, it's a room inside Hotaru's lab. She felt the cold sheets of the bed she was lain upon and felt it's comforting offer. Around her, the whole group gathers and for the looks of it, they still haven't noticed that she's already awake for quite some time now.

"How long have I been out?" Her voice was quiet and strained as she tried to sit up, her voice breaking the outstretched silence making everyone stir.

"Not long. Two hours." Hotaru, who she noticed is sitting on a chair beside the bed, answered calmly.

She remained silent for a while, rubbing her eyes. "What, what happened after I passed out?"

"Nothing much. Medics treated the wounded, the police came even though a little late." Koko, whom she noticed was sitting on the floor of the other side of the bed, informed her. He looked like a lost pup, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. That made her smile. She reached out her hand to caress the top of Koko's head, reassuring her dear friend that everything is fine. Her smile widened more when Koko leaned in to her touch, really just like a little puppy. Or her smaller brother.

"Were you worried?" She asked like how a big sister would.

Koko creased his forehead, pouting in her absurd of a question. "Of course I was. You're like my mom!"

Mikan glared.

"…my sister…"

She smiled.

"Anyway," She turned to look at the others. "What happened to the school?"

Ruka, who was leaning in on a small drawer, stepped in closer to her as if giving a formal report. "Burned down," he said with a bit of a pang in his voice. "Half of the school is down, though the important documents were all saved. The dormitories, well, the girl's dormitory, though burned, is still standing. Only this room is left unscathed. The boy's dorms is the same, burned but not down."

"Injuries? Are there any casualties?"

"A few were injured but not seriously, and fortunately, no one died."

Mikan closed her eyes, thankful to whoever is responsible for ensuring their safety. And then she remembered…

She remembered the agonizing scream the girl let out when debris fell on her. Her hair stood up to its ends, sending chills throughout her body. That scream, it was so full of pain she thought she was going to gag all of her food. Up until now, it feels like the girl's voice still lingers in her ears. That ear-splitting scream haunts her, as if it's happening right this moment in front of her very own eyes.

Hotaru noticed the way Mikan started to tremble. She was about to ask Mikan what was wrong, but the girl beat her up to talking.

"You…" Mikan's quite and trembling voice echoed throughout the room. Her voice was so full of pain and fear and a bit of anger it was Hotaru's first time hearing it. "You people… you're powerful aren't you…?"

Natsume frowned. He didn't like where this talk is heading, nor the tone that girl is using.

"You're powerful…" He heard her say again. "You have super human strength… your speed is breath-taking… right? Then, why…? Why didn't you save her…? It could have been easy for you to jump in there and save her from the falling debris, why didn't you? I understand you didn't see this attack coming, that it came out of nowhere from within the academy grounds and the fire already started before you could do anything about it; but why, when you had the opportunity, didn't you save her? She was right in front of you!" Her voice shook with suppressed outrage, he noticed, and he didn't like it.

Not in the least.

No one answered her, and for once, he was annoyed with the silence. He caught the girl's eyes, which up until now were restless and unfocused. They were staring at each other, she was questioning him, and he was ignoring her.

"Why?" This time, her voice is firm. And accusing.

He, with his ever stoic and expressionless face, answered her with the most obvious answer he got. "Because we didn't come here for them."

Mikan's eyes widened like saucers. They didn't come here, they didn't – what? That's it? He hasn't got any other answer? She laughed a humourless laugh, her hand shaking as she raked her hair back. "You… you've got to be joking."

"No." Came his firm answer. She looked back at him, only to see him with that cold stare. "We're not here to protect them."

Something in his voice made her anger flare. It was the first time she ever felt this angry in her entire life that she found herself jump out from the bed and walk to him. "You've got to be kidding me. You're the reason they were involved in the first place and you think you're not responsible for it?"

"No. We're not, in any way, responsible for it."

"Bullshit!" They flinched in the venom in her voice, except for the boy in front of her and her best friend. It was the first they heard her curse, and something in her voice and firmness made that one word seem like a thunder. "You dragged _your_ war here, and you're saying you're not responsible? What a load of bull! And you say you're the next head of the clan? I can only imagine what kind of doom your race will face when a bitchy, irresponsible leader top them!"

She didn't know what she was saying. She didn't even know where she got the guts to say them. Her head was light, and her heart was thundering inside its cage. Something inside him snapped, and she knows it. Maybe that's what she was waiting for.

"Fuck!" He snapped, his voice carrying venom worse than her curse. "We're no superhero, human!"

She walked closer to him. "Fuck, too! Even an ordinary human would have saved her!"

"Then, why, oh so great Yukihara, did no one in your flimsy fragile race came to save her? Huh?"

"Oh, I don't know, Your Highness. Maybe because unlike certain _others_, we don't have that kind of strength and speed! Because if we have, I assure you we _would have_ saved her! And we won't toss it out like it's not our responsible!"

"Hah! Trust me, brat. When a human is given power, they would want more and topple the weak!"

"You would know, huh? Of course you would! You're so great! You're superior from humans!"

"Good you know."

"Then why? Fuck, why? If you're oh so great than humans, if you're so superior, why didn't you save her? As a leader, you should have known it's up to you to protect those under you!"

"Fuck. Don't give me that tone, human! She isn't under me! She's not under my care, brat!"

"Shut up! Don't give me that shit! No matter who's working under you, it's the law of nature for those powerful to protect the weak!"

Natsume's last thread of patience snapped. He grabbed the girl by her neck and slammed her up against the wall. Everyone was alerted, his underlings attempted to stop him but were blown away by his presence. Hotaru grabbed her bazooka only to be frozen firm on her stand as a powerful and menacing aura enveloped the whole room.

"No, Natsume, stop!" Ruka yelled, only to fail. He knows how Natsume is when his patience is tried. All this time, he thought that only Mikan can stand up against his pride and patience, but now that Natsume's power is overwhelming the whole room, or possibly the whole academy grounds (and everyone knows how huge the academy grounds is), he regrets to his heart why he didn't stop their exchange sooner.

Mikan watched as Natsume's eyes turned from crimson to cat-like golden. His hair grew a little longer. She could feel the firm grasp holding her neck, but not enough to choke her to death.

"_Listen here, human." _He hissed, making her heart thump louder, faster. She didn't know if it was because of the obvious danger in his voice or because their noses were almost touching. _"Don't talk crap to me about the law of nature. If it's just that fucking law, then let me tell you this. Monsters kill humans."_

She frowned. _What the hell is he talking about?_ "You're no monster."

Natsume's eyes widened as he loosened his grip on her neck and stepped back.

_What did she just say? Does she know what she's talking about?_

But looking at her frowning face and determined eyes, he couldn't help but laugh.

Ruka and his comrades watched in horror as their leader laughed out loud. In the background, he could hear Koko muttering something about 'not good' and Yuu saying something about 'should have known'. He watched as Natsume palmed his face and bent his body in an attempt to stop his laughter. And then it burst.

Another burst of shocking wave of power, much powerful and oppressing than before, enveloped the entire room and (not possibly but surely) the entire academy grounds, making them kneel on the ground. His shoulders felt heavy, and his eyes went blurry. He looked at Hotaru and saw her slumped in the floor, hugging herself. A pained expression is on her face. The groans around him made him turn to his comrades only to find them crouching in pain.

_Damn._

The humans out there could in no doubt feel this menacing aura, and they might be knocked on the ground because of this. He could only remember the last time Natsume went out of control; some even fainted and vomited because of this.

He heard Natsume's menacing laughter, and hell it sounds like a demon lord laughing his ass off while someone is being slowly and painfully tortured to death.

Really, he just can't seem to know how powerful Natsume really is because of the constant refrain his leader is doing for the sake of those weaker beings. He looked at Mikan, his sight distorted because of the weight of Natsume's presence, but he was sure the girl is also knocked on the ground.

Natsume continued to laugh, and it only sent more chills to Ruka. That menacing aura, the menacing laugh, everyone under his gaze would tremble for sure, and those weak hearted would be traumatized. Damn, even he, the right hand man, couldn't do anything to stand up straight when under Natsume's mercy.

"_I'm not a monster?" _He heard his leader's thunderous voice, noticing the tint of amusement in his tone.

"_I'm a vampire, human._" Natsume walked to the girl, gripping her in the neck and threw her back on the bed. _"I'm a walker of the night, a creature all fears." _He said as he walked towards the bed, moving over so he could straddle her by the hips. He leaned down, his face on her shoulder, his lips almost brushing her ears; and then he whispered. _"I drink people's blood to live. I use my power to entrance them, so I could devour their necks. I corner them, giving no room for escape. And slowly, I sink my fangs on that flesh, tasting that crimson liquid." _He chuckled as he watched her tremble.

"_I can snap your neck in an instant without any effort, killing you immediately you won't even feel pain. You can hide, but I'll find you; I know your scent from a mile. You cannot even run, because I'll catch you. I can slaughter each and everyone in this godforsaken academy and no one would ever know it's me. Heh, I can even make it look like an accident and no one will question further. Now, tell me again that I'm no monster." _He laughed again when she was frozen.

He closed his eyes and breathe in deeply, his presence back to normal and so is his appearance. When he was sure he was in control again, he got off her and stood up. Back to stoic and expressionless face, he started, "Anyway they weren't here because of me. They're looking for you, which is why it's necessary for you to leave here before anyone else gets hurt." Having said what he wanted, he left the room.

Mikan laid still, doing her best to calm her heart down now that she can breathe normally again. She didn't know why her heart was beating violently, truth be said. Maybe it was because of fear. If it was, then why, oh why, when he was straddling her and he was looking unwaveringly at her with those golden eyes, she just thought of nothing but beautiful? She was caught off-guard when he burst, true, she was terrified when he was laughing menacingly, but it was all drowned out when he leaned dangerously close to her. She heard him say his piece alright, but she couldn't process it in her head. All she was on about was how close their bodies were. How it tickled her when his lips would accidentally brush against her skin when he was talking, and how it sent shivers down her spine when his hot breath reached her.

She closed her eyes as she felt her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She is in no way a pervert, damn it!

But really, she just can't get over how powerful Natsume really is. And it made her back to why they were arguing in the first place.

Ruka stood up when he felt the oppressing aura disappear and hurriedly went to help Hotaru on her feet. After reassuring that the girl is already steady on her feet, he turned his attention to Mikan who already has Koko by her side.

He has already prepared his piece to say to the girl so as to reassure her that Natsume meant no harm. He was even prepared to see the girl crying and trembling in fear because, well, who would be so brave not to buck under Natsume's presence? What he wasn't prepared though was when he turned to look at the girl lying still on the bed, was to see her blushing like mad.

How in the hell did that happen? Because he was fairly sure Mikan and Natsume were just fighting and yelling and arguing mere minutes ago, so why in the world did it end up to a blushing girl? And when he thought he'd ask if she's fine, her face suddenly crumpled in annoyance.

"That jerk!" She shrieked as she suddenly sat up. "I can't believe he forced his way out of this!"

That was another one he wasn't expecting to hear. He thought he'd surely hear her scream and told them to leave her alone and never to appear before her ever again. However, before anymore misunderstanding come to light, he decided to butt in.

"Sorry, Mikan-san, but… I think you misunderstand."

Ruka stiffened when her gaze landed on him. "What, pray tell, did I misunderstand?"

"Er," he thought he has already prepared his piece, only to stutter in front of their princess. "That is, well, we have a law in the clan, Mikan-san."

The girl tilted her head, indicating her confusion. "Well, our clan doesn't harm humans, Mikan-san. That's one of our laws. And, and those victims he was telling about, uh, I can't believe he lead you to misunderstand. Actually, they are blood donors. The clan associates with humans, and some of those humans are volunteers to be fed on once in a while. Though some other vampires really fed on humans just like how Natsume described. But the clan regulates the underworld, monitoring that no human would die."

Mikan's eyes widened. She could not believe what she just heard. She cannot even believe that Natsume just told her a bunch of lies! It was so frustrating the hell out of her, if only she could read his mind! "That… that idiot! But that doesn't mean anything if he let that girl be injured!"

"Um…" She saw the blond boy with the glasses stepped in. "Actually, she wasn't hurt."

"Stuuupid." The almost bald boy huffed and crossed his arms against his chest. "We didn't say anything because we were with Natsume-sama. It's common knowledge to not speak if your master doesn't wish you to, but you were just so stupid weren't you? Oooh! I was itching to tell you earlier if not for Natsume-sama's orders."

Well, would you look at that. She can't believe that those other guys with Natsume are capable of speaking.

"Mochu! Don't talk to her like that!" The boy with the glasses, she thought his name was Yuu, yelled at the rude boy.

"Why? Natsume-sama is not here anymore, I can now talk to her however I want."

"Stop it! Even if he's not here, she's still the princess, you idiot!"

"Not until her eighteenth birthday!"

"Just, shut up!"

"Well, if she wasn't that stupid and weak, she would have noticed Kitsu used his wind to make that falling debris fall beside the girl!" That perked her ears up.

Kitsu, she supposed, was the boy who almost looked like Koko, giving her a victory sign. He used his 'wind', his special gift? So, in short, he helped that human girl. He used the most natural, and unsuspicious means of saving that girl –without exposing their secret.

_Oh my god… what did I just do…?_

Her spirits dampened in an instant, sending a gloomy atmosphere around the room. She can't believe it. She said all those horrible things to Natsume and now she finds out it was all for naught. All those mean words she said in anger just hurt her friend, and now she finds out that her words were based off in a base-less fact.

Natsume has all the right to be mad at her. Why, because she just blabbered off without knowing anything of course.

_I am so freaking stupid._

-:-

-:-

I can't believe the school wants to have the THESIS and the FASHION SHOW done at the same time!

-:-

**Preview:**

**Ch. 12**

_Her voice was broken and sad. And now he knows why. It must be because of the guilt she's feeling right now. It's not like he wanted to make her believe to utter lies, but he just did not –doesn't like explaining his self and his actions. He's not a man of words, and everyone knows that. It's really idiotic to make him explain his self._

"_Natsume?" She called out with curiosity and obvious discomfort in her voice. He should have answered her call, not to make her believe to something again. But his voice was conveniently stuck on his throat, egging him to continue feigning sleep and listen on._

_He wanted to clear all these misunderstandings at once, to explain. But then he'd be contradicting his self on what he has just said about not wanting to explain his self. A low and inward groan left his throat._

_Really, when a certain mind-reader and brat comes her way to him, all of his senses and mind-set gets fucked up. He has just said he doesn't like explaining; hell, he doesn't even like talking in general. So why, why in the world does he find his self now needing to stop all of these misunderstandings? For fuck's sake, he's Natsume Hyuuga. He's not supposed to care if people doesn't understand him._

-:-

REVIEW PLEASE!


	12. Chapter 12

Alice Academy Principal Kazu Yukihara watched in solemnity as the moon shines brilliantly in the night sky, covering the whole grounds in a mystic light. He has just gotten back to his office from announcing that some chemicals normally used in classes and researches has spread through the academy grounds, knocking all of them to the ground while some even vomited.

He's just glad that everyone bought his crappy explanation and no one asked any further questions. Maybe they accepted it just like that because they were dealing about unknown chemicals and mix of it and all the mysteries of science, though the medics still insisted on doing check-ups in case a side effect has occurred which he only happily allowed.

A frustrated sigh escaped his lips as he massaged his temple.

_I can't believe it._

His hands were still shaking, his body remembering that sudden outburst of power. How can he ever forget the feeling of being oppressed by such a force? The feeling of helplessness engulfed him when that massive amount of power burst; it was maddening. He has heard of the rumours of course, that the successor of the strongest of the pureblood clan among the world is the most powerful yet they have seen among other successors; but to witness, _experience_ it first hand…

_I just can't believe it._

It's frightening. Certainly, it frightens him that such power exists. If that power is to be unleashed, he could only imagine how much of a destruction would befall the face of the earth. That kind of power would surely be an asset to help either side of this everlasting war of races if one accumulates it. Though, the fact that no one could ever have an access to it is a relief to him. Add the fact that _that_ power is to protect his niece.

"_An unworldly power given to the protector of the inheritor." _He quoted the line which he read from before.

'_And when the time comes, the two of them will go to a journey only they can walk on.' _He thought glumly. He knew that, of course, that the protector and the inheritor will be two beings untouched by the world when the right time comes; when the inheritor steps in to adulthood. And that would be Mikan's eighteenth birthday.

It hurts him, really. To know what awaits his niece in the future. Five hundred years of loneliness and isolation; no one would be able to talk to her, to see her, to embrace her. And she will leave everything behind; her family, her friends, her loved one. She would be sent to a world created only for the inheritors where she would watch the world from. Everyone will be vulnerable in front of her all-seeing eyes, she would see their inner-most desires. And it hurts him more to know that she will see the corruptness and ugliness a person holds. He just hopes she wouldn't be scarred for life after all of those.

And the protector? That powerful protector will stand guard outside that world. A dimension in between the living and the inheritor's world; a void and dark and empty dimension. The protector will never sleep, he will never rest. He would have to make sure no one from the living tries to enter the world; as well as to make sure the inheritor would not leave.

Tragic. Really tragic. A successor by name but really a sacrifice necessary for the world's balance.

_They are just kids…_

He cannot stop his self from thinking like that. He's merely thirty six, and still it fears him to hear that such sensitive responsibility exists. For his seventeen, nearly eighteen year old of a niece to carry out the task of maintaining the balance… and the protector? Well, he is not one to talk about being young because the protector is already a hundred and twenty. But in _their _world, that is still considered a child. He isn't even an adult yet.

Kazu sighed once again and grabbed his office chair to sit on. This is really giving him headaches. And this time's _situation_ is even worse; no one knows what to do, for this kind of situation has never happened before. He can only remember what the prophecy has said:

'_Lightning struck and separated one into two; in which the other one would need the other to make the Garden bloom.'_

He still very well remembers that day when she was born. How can he ever forget? No one has ever dreamt for such a situation to surface. Because in the history of Diane's never ending cycle, this has never happened before, no one knows what to do. They could only rely on the prophecy, they could only do what they thought was best. Though now, with the things as they are now, he's not so sure anymore if _the sin_ they did is still the best.

That day when she was born was the day of his greatest mistake. Because he was so powerless and he couldn't do anything. He only watched as the parent's memories as well as Mikan's very essence has been sealed. He watched as secrets and sins were made.

And now, two months before the awakening of the seal is the most dangerous. In this time, the seal is constantly weakening, letting the scent of the kiss of the moon to linger every now and then. This makes the inheritor vulnerable. Everyone would want to take her.

It only relieves him to know that the sacred bloodline cannot participate in the war. They can only manage the underworld and implement the law but they cannot side with anyone; because that would make the balance imbalance. It only adds to his relief to know that they cannot ever betray the inheritor.

Anyway, now that he has been granted the power, even if just a little, he can now correct the _sins_ they made.

Kazu glanced back at the moonlit covered landscape. His face solemn from all of the burdens and secrets he has carried for so long.

"It's nearly time."

-:-

Natsume secretly sighed as he felt a presence secretly creeping up beside him. Sure, he was sleeping until he felt that familiar sensation. Did she really believe she could creep up to him when he had painfully proven that he's no human? Did she really believe she would go unnoticed if she tip-toed to him silently when even her smell has already gave her away from a mile away?

Seriously though, there isn't any reason for her to seek him out. Okay, scratch that. He forgot 'common sense' does not apply to her given the past events. When it comes to her, there could always be a reason for her to go to him; or none at all. It's a good thing he has already calmed down or he might snap at her again.

He felt the heat of her body slumped right beside him; but he did not move from his position. He continued to lie still, arms behind his head and a manga to cover his face. No. He doesn't want to face her right now. If she can have a reason or none at all to seek him out, he can also have a reason or none to not face her.

"Natsume." She called out. Her voice was strained he noticed. It must have been because of, well, he doesn't know why her voice is strained. "Listen, I, I'm sorry. About earlier? I, I didn't know Kitsu had helped the poor girl out without anyone noticing. And I'm an idiot not to notice it, I know. Even Mochu said so. But, you should have said so earlier! Why did you have to make me believe you didn't help her? And what was all with that bullshit you were saying about you killing humans? Gosh, even Ruka said it was true to those other vampires but not to you. Really, why did you have to make yourself look all scary when they weren't even true. Anyway, I'm just sorry about what I did and to all I have said that sent you out. Really, I'm sorry. I didn't know any better."

She sighed. "I'm babbling…"

Her voice was broken and sad. And now he knows why. It must be because of the guilt she's feeling right now. It's not like he wanted to make her believe to utter lies, but he just did not –doesn't like explaining his self and his actions. He's not a man of words, and everyone knows that. It's really idiotic to make him explain his self.

"Natsume?" She called out with curiosity and obvious discomfort in her voice. He should have answered her call, not to make her believe to something again. But his voice was conveniently stuck on his throat, egging him to continue feigning sleep and listen on.

He wanted to clear all these misunderstandings at once, to explain. But then he'd be contradicting his self on what he has just said about not wanting to explain his self. A low and inward groan left his throat.

Really, when a certain mind-reader and brat comes her way to him, all of his senses and mind-set gets fucked up. He has just said he doesn't like explaining; hell, he doesn't even like talking in general. So why, why in the world does he find his self now _needing_ to stop all of these misunderstandings? For fuck's sake, he's Natsume Hyuuga. He's not supposed to care if people doesn't understand him.

"What the… so you're asleep!" He heard her say after seemingly concluding that he's really sleeping. It was all of a whiney statement, much like of a kid and Natsume secretly rolled his eyes. "Gee, and here I am trying my best to find words to apologize while you just sleep it all off."

The next moment was spent in silence.

It's not like those other awkward moments he finds his self often an audience to, but a comforting silence. If there is one thing he's contented with, it's these moments with her where they could just sit and not talk but understand what each other meant anyway. Or it can very well be the constant babbling in her part while he listens but pretend not to infuriate her.

He could have sworn she has already left because of the stillness if he was a human. But he's not and he knows she's still there. Her scent lingers under his nose, her soft locks brushing his arms now and then, and her warmth beside him all screams he's not alone. He can imagine how she's seated right now: her back pressed against the sakura tree, her knees against her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees.

And he swore if the silence stretches on, he could really drift off to sleep that it scared him. Sleeping while in the presence of another is a sign of trust; and he should not trust. He could but he's not supposed to because he's Natsume Hyuuga. There is nothing between them but a mere relation of a princess and her bodyguard. He should not be at ease like this!

"I…" her sudden voice filled with sorrow alerted Natsume in so many ways. "You said… that I should leave…"

_Ah… she's thinking about that._

He was not supposed to tell her about it in such a mean way. He was mad, and he wasn't in control and it slipped out of his tongue like a buttered piece. And that's something he's not satisfied about. Why did he lose control anyway?

_Fuck. Should not have asked myself that. There's always _something _when it comes to her; she messes me up._

"I should really leave, huh. I wonder where you'll take me? Must be England. You came from there after all." It didn't take Natsume to put two and two together when it comes to her. She's probably thinking about leaving her family and best friend behind all the while trying to reassure herself that where she's going is probably a good place. "Would you erase their memory of me? Even of my parents…?"

It all came out of her so agonizingly slow.

_She's hurt._

He was supposed to be sleeping. He was not supposed to have heard all that. But when he swatted the blasted manga away from his face and grabbed her arm to cage her down in a tight embrace, her over him, he found his self damning all pretences. She could think of anything she likes from his feigning sleep, but he found his self not caring; not now when he knows she's close to crying.

Maybe it was because he knows she cannot cling to her best friend and cry anymore. That must be it. Because there isn't any reason for him to comfort her like he's doing now.

"…Natsume…?" Her voice was so small it scared him to death. Then she chuckled softly, almost like a whisper. "so you're awake…"

"…"

"…you know," She clung to him, he could feel her grasp his shirt in her small fists. "maybe, maybe we should erase their memories of me… in case those who wants me come and… _ask_ them about me. They should be safe if they don't know about me, right? I mean, I can live my life if I know they're fine."

_Stop. _His mind was screaming. Where is that little haughty girl he knows? Seeing her like this, hearing her talk like this, she seems so small and vulnerable. Mikan is a fighter, she's anything but vulnerable; especially because of her case, mind reading and all. But now… why did she seem so small before his eyes?

"…I'm scared…" he heard her say in an almost choked whisper. And he knew she was crying.

The fact that he knows made him embrace her a little tighter, if only to give her something of a security and reassurance.

After what seemed like forever to him, he heard his voice come out from his throat in a low hush. "…I'm here."

And when he heard him state that, a little courage bloomed inside him and urged him to say more. "I won't leave you."

_Not that I can._

But even if he can, he was sure he would still not leave her. Though he doesn't know why.

He felt her tremble in his arms as she cried her eyes out, thinking of the future yet to come, reminiscing the past to be erased.

Then and there at that very moment, he secretly vowed to his self to never leave her side and protect her.

-:-

Hotaru clenched her fists as she looked up the night sky through her lab's window. She could still feel her skin tingle in what she could only name as an odd sensation. Her hands are still numb and trembling, and the hair on her neck stood like crazy.

When those pack of dogs came to her sight, in all truths she stupidly wondered how a dog could grow that much. But when Ruka Nogi, as effeminate as he could get, jumped in and _hissed _and _snarled _and _ripped _the dog's throat out, she got a vague feeling of what was happening. Especially when she saw that look on Nogi's eyes and the not so obvious fangs. She had thought of the impossible the first sight of that. And she knew she was right.

What she did not expect was to be proven how right she was.

She can still very well remember that oppressing sensation she felt earlier. It was an odd feeling –how her vision blurred and everything seemed distorted; how her stomach did flips urging her to hurl everything out if only she got so small self-control; how heavy her shoulders, no, her whole body was; and how she felt so helpless and… _scared._

It's saying a lot when she says scared, because she is Hotaru Imai and she fears nothing. But under Hyuuga's menacing presence earlier seems to wake a very dormant instinct inside of her. Yes, she was scared. The laughter which bode no warmth but only danger, scared the living shit out of her.

Never in her life has she felt something like that maybe because she has never met a vampire before for one, but that's not all there is to it. Even a human can be so intimidating, and she hasn't met anyone of that yet. Besides, she knows Nogi. And Yome. And they're far different from Hyuuga. If she wasn't delusional back then, and she knows she wasn't, she saw the other vampires collapse on the ground when that overwhelming power was released.

If them, a vampire in themselves, has got a reaction like that, then what of her a mere human being? It only proves how different and superior Hyuuga is.

She even vaguely remember how Mikan cursed and yelled at him, and how Hotaru admires her for that. A girl, slim and a head smaller than Hyuuga, stood up in front of him in his boisterous laughter without even blinking an eye. Heck, she even saw her sneak out of the room, probably to find the vamp. If it was an ordinary person, they might have passed out from fear if not scream and yell to never step near her again.

Hotaru smiled.

_Well, she's stupid that way._

As if they have a mind of their own, she felt her two arms crossed on her chest, hugging herself to give security.

She knows she will never forget that incident and that feeling for the rest of her life. But as of now, really, that's not what she's fretting about. She was scared, yes, but right now, her fear has no place in her busy mind.

What Hyuuga said was right. Mikan should leave. Ruka even said so earlier when he explained everything to her, after Mikan ran out to follow Hyuuga. And she knows they're right.

She has to leave.

But what she cannot stand was the fact that Ruka explained everything to her, because he knows they can erase her memories any time. Another thing she cannot stand is for Mikan to leave. Alone. Without her.

And knowing how Mikan is, she would probably ask them to erase her memory for safety. Her safety. She's just stupid that way.

That is what she's thinking now: she has to find out a way to retain her memories and go with Mikan wherever she'll go.

As Hotaru leaned her head against the window frame, an idea crossed her mind. Her eyes wide in realization as the gears in her wonderful brain started to function. Oh, how can she ever forget that she's a genius sometimes is beyond her. And right now, her brain has again proved that she is in fact a genius by sewing a perfect plan.

In the darkness of the room, a lone figure by the window stood proudly. A smile creeping up her usually stoic face.

_I'm going to give them a proposal they would never reject. Sweet._

-:-

-:-

To the readers,

I am putting this story on HIATUS, though I don't know if I can still continue it even if that shames me. But please don't hate me. As some of you know, I went to a university in Manila and have been busy with my college thesis and graduation and all that stuff. I came home recently here in UAE, and, well, the drafts I prepared for this story that I wrote in a notebook was left behind. Or probably stuffed in a box filled with other things I had no need in bringing home with me and was thrown away, I'm not sure...

I am terribly sorry for telling you that I can't continue without it. This chapter is actually the last chapter I got to type but failed to upload. I think I made this back when me and my group mates for thesis were looking for an apartment.

Aside from losing my notebook, I also read the whole thing again and I didn't like my way of writing. I'm not satisfied with how I wrote it. So if ever I get inspired to continue with the story, I would want to re-write the whole stuff again. As of now though, I have other plots I'm currently interested in and is working my draft on it.

Oh, and I'm also looking for work and I tell ya it's pretty damn difficult with all of this regression… talk about bad times.

P.S.

Don't hate me…

Love,

Cristofori's Dream


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